Open AccessThe role played by family physicians in providing health services for the sheltered homeless populations during COVID-19 lockdown in the Tshwane district
Author(s) -
Edith Madela-Mntla,
Wayne Renkin,
Jannie Hugo,
Paul S. Germishuys
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
african journal of primary health care and family medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.654
H-Index - 20
eISSN - 2071-2936
pISSN - 2071-2928
DOI - 10.4102/phcfm.v13i1.3060
Subject(s) - covid-19 , medicine , task (project management) , health care , set (abstract data type) , nursing , quality (philosophy) , family medicine , public relations , disease , economic growth , political science , management , infectious disease (medical specialty) , philosophy , epistemology , pathology , computer science , economics , programming language
This short report describes the role that family physicians (FPs) (and family medicine registrars) played to provide care for the homeless people in shelters (both temporary and permanent) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. The lockdown resulted in the establishment of a large number of temporary shelters. The FPs took on the task to provide comprehensive and coordinated primary care, whilst extending their activities in terms of data management, quality improvement, capacity building and research. The FPs worked in teams with other healthcare providers and contributed a unique set of skills to the process. This report demonstrates the value of responding quickly and appropriately through communication, cooperation and innovation. It also demonstrates the large number of areas in which FPs can make a difference when engaged appropriately, with the necessary support and collaboration, thus making a positive impact in the already overburdened health services.