Summary of the project South African Research Chair in Nursing: Ubuntu community model in nursing

Nursing in South Africa is largely based on western philosophies of care and ethics.   The Chair aims to work towards the inclusion of the African philosophy of Ubuntu as the foundation of care and ethics in the nursing profession combined with western epistemologies, which emphasize human rights and individual autonomy.  The Chair will lead inter-professional and trans-disciplinary research combining indigenous knowledge and modern technologies and skills from different scientific fields/domains to create novel practices and relations of health care and service based on the embodiment of the philosophy of Ubuntu. It is envisaged that at the end of five years, the people in rural and underdeveloped communities will have improved access to health care. This will be achieved through the development and implementation of the Ubuntu community model and co-production and convergence of indigenous and biomedical knowledge.

About the research chair

Prof FM Mulaudzi is the South African Research Chair in Ubuntu with the research focus on  Midwifery, Human Rights and Ethics, Reproductive Health, Indigenous Knowledge and Research Methodology. She is a Professor of Nursing at the University of Pretoria. She is also a consultant to the Department of Health South Africa and a public speaker. Prof Mulaudz’s research has helped to identify the most important factors that influence the service delivery of nurses and indigenous health practitioners. She is the author of 20 books as well as more than    80 scientific publications. In 2016 Prof Mavis was the recipient of the South African Nursing Science Association National Distinguished Service Award for her outstanding contribution to clinical and communities work in Nursing  Sciences.

Expected outcomes of the proposed Research Chair:

• Contribution to redressing social injustice and the transformation of community health care in remote and disadvantaged rural areas.
• Provision of Equitable scholarship development of postgraduate and postdoctoral students.
• Accessible communication and information to overcome the social, economic and cultural barriers to health care access, practices and outcomes.
• Collaboration with relevant stakeholders for the standardization and inclusion of Ubuntu innovative approach to the provision of health care training and learning programmes.

Proposed projects

• Develop the Ubuntu-Innovation model for coproduction and converging of traditional and allopathic health care in remote, rural and under-resourced areas (Project 1)
• Develop Ubuntu-Innovation to support maternal and infant health (Project 2)
• Conduct research on standards for TB and HIV management, and training development (Project 3)
• Enhance mother and child nutrition through the value chain for indigenous edible insects (Project 4)
• Promote Multi- inter and transdisciplinary knowledge field development and management of platforms for communication and information sharing on Ubuntu—Innovation (Project 5).