The second leg of the roadshow took place on the 28th of May at the Melusi Clinic and Melusi 3, from 10:00 to 13:00, with a one-hour formal programme where key role players on the project (including partners from outside UP) welcomed, and addressed the community. Community leaders such as Mr. M.Nkadimeng (SANCO Chair), Mr. Hlakudi Malatji (MYDO), and from The National SAPRIN Project Nodes, Mr. Tinofa Mutevedzi, were among those to have been invited to share the stage and address their fellow constituencies since they had been consulted a few times since the beginning of the study.
“The SAPRIN project otherwise known as South African Population Research Infrastructure Network, is a government project funded by the Department of Science and Innovation, focuses on population health, social well-being, and socio-economic issues of people at population level”, said Mr. Tinofa Mutevedzi.
This is done by measuring population health and movement, as well as social and economic status in areas such as Atteridgeville and Melusi over the many years, can the project then identify and improve health service delivery.
“As a member of the leadership, we highly appreciate the support, and intervention that the University of Pretoria has done for the community, we appreciate their presence and their impact on the community”, said Mr. N Nkadimeng
Other keynote speakers present on the day were Prof Rhena Delport (Project Manager), who elaborated more on the project and its background, Prof Jannie Hugo (Project Lead) who did the opening and welcome, and Dr. Edith Madela-Mntla (Senior Lecturer and Co-Investigator: Community Engagement), who was the project director for the day.
The research involves household surveys that are conducted as a once-off face-to-face interview, and two telephonic interviews per year, individual surveys (conducted with an individual household member), and health monitoring. Surveys include questions about residence status, education status, food security, employment, vehicle ownership, and access to energy, water, and sanitation.
Like the first roadshow that took place on the 14th of May, the main goal of the second event was to promote the visibility of the project, have conversations with the community members, and answer any questions they might have about the project. Stands were identified by UP-branded gazebos, manned by COPC RU staff and Community Health Workers attached to the Melusi team of the project. CHWs and community members were engaged in the form of explaining the project and answering any questions. Project flyers, COPC RU branded pens and surgical masks were handed out.
The Gauteng SAPRIN project comprises sites in Hillbrow, Atteridgeville, and Melusi in Tshwane. Each site will provide a community for the longitudinal population study in which population development (births, deaths, in- and out-migration) and health status will be actively monitored over an extended period. The Gauteng sites were selected to include a densely populated inner-city site (Hillbrow), an established township community (Atteridgeville) and a rapidly growing informal settlement (Melusi). The SAPRIN project has two components – the first, a rapid Covid seroprevalence sampling study in each of the 3 Gauteng SAPRIN sites, and the full long-term SAPRIN population study which would aim to include all people in the selected sites. The programme is to run the first study from January 2021, and the full study would run from March 2021.
Virtual Campus
Get Social With Us
Download the UP Mobile App