Online Postgraduate Diploma in TB-HIV Management, a first for UCT

The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre in the IDM, in partnership with ICAP at Columbia University and the University of Cape Town's Faculty of Health Sciences, is proud to announce the accreditation of their first, purely online, postgraduate qualification.

The Postgraduate Diploma in TB-HIV Management is aimed at equipping doctors and nurses with the life-saving skills necessary to treat HIV and TB infected patients at primary care level.

While many healthcare workers are interested in upgrading their skills/furthering their education, this is not always possible because of logistics. This online programme gives healthcare workers the opportunity to study at a time that suits them, from the comfort of their own homes.

The online diploma is beautifully designed, rich with interactive content that was developed by leading experts in the fields of TB and HIV medicine. While ensuring that the clinician is up to date with the latest South African guidelines, it also provides tools to conduct operational research in facilities and thus improve healthcare delivery systems from the ground up.

A generous grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, via ICAP Columbia University, provided the initial funding with a mandate to create online TB and HIV short-courses for rural doctors. After over five years of hard work, with many individuals contributing, four courses have collectively been accredited as an official postgraduate diploma through UCT, the first in the Faculty of Health Sciences that can be achieved online.

For further information please contact Melissa May: Melissa.Slabbert@hiv-research.org.za

Back row left to right: Miss Melissa May (Academic facilitator), Ms Dawn Daniels (E-learning developer), Dr Shahra Sattar (Project leader)

Front row left to right: Ms Barbara Hutton (E-learning developer), Dr Shafiyah Coovadia (Lecturer) 

Absent: Dr Sabine Verkuijl (based in Belgium)