SERVICES

Shahnaz Adams

A leading figure in Traumatic Stress Debriefing in the Western Cape, Shahnaz Adams has responded above and beyond the call of duty in attending to the needs of both patients and care-givers in various multiple casualty incidents, including the PlanetHollywood bombing.

Adams is often called upon to co-ordinate debriefing and counselling services that extend long into the night. She also plays a pivotal role in dovetailing the activities of several governmental and non-governmental organisations in minimising the impact of trauma on patients and emergency personnel.

She has been particularly impressed by the positive changes over the last decade.

"In particular, the improvements in health care facilities and the strides made with regard to achieving parity and equity in remunerating nurses have been positive starting points," she says.

After joining the Trauma Unit of theWestern Cape's Tygerberg Hospital as a Registered Nurse in 1980, Shahnaz Adams became the hospital's Senior Registered Nurse (Trauma and Research Unit) in 1990. Six years later, she became the Chief Professional Nurse in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

In addition to various short courses, Adams has obtained Diplomas in Emergency Nursing Care and Nursing Administration as well as a B.Cur degree from the University of Western Cape. She also attained honours qualifications in B. Social Science as well as Human Resource Management.

Between 1994 and 2001, Adams was actively involved in South African Nursing Association and the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA). She served on the National Board of DENOSA, is a former vice-chairperson of the Western Cape Provincial Board, has chaired the Industrial Relations Committee and served as a negotiator in the Bargaining Chamber.

Adams was a representative on the TRC'sHuman Rights Task Team.

"Every instance that I am able to empower, uplift or capacitate another person counts as a highpoint in my career."

Although the spiralling HIV and AIDS pandemic is a major cause for concern to her, Adams looks forward to a brighter future in rendering health care and a consistent improvement in health care services over the next ten years.

Elizabeth Crossley

"I entered the health services because of a deep passion for serving this sector," says Elizabeth Crossley. Presently a chief professional nurse in the Western Cape's Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Crossley previously worked at the Boksburg Benoni Hospital, Kimberley Hospital, Tara HM Cross, Groote Schuur Hospital, Jan S Marais and the Volks Hospital respectively.

Her core responsibilities include rendering emergency services, quality control, liaison with hospitals, infection control, co-ordination of advanced trauma life support, co-ordinating the Red Cross Air Mercy programme, serving on radiation committees (Koeberg), conducting airport disaster exercises, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Counselling, manning first-aid rooms, delivering first-aid lectures, drug control of paramedics, follow-up and support in instances of needle-stick injuries as well as lecturing at the Ambulance Academy.

In addition to general training, Crossley is also trained in midwifery, psychiatry, theatre and has also completed the Nuclear PowerWorkers' and MonitorCourse, an Acromedical course and Life Line training.

Crossley was the first chief professional nurse in the country to be employed in the pre-hospital environment and has expended a great amount of her time and talent to develop the pre-hospital emergency services.

She has enjoyed particular success in diplomatically liaising with other health-related sectors to develop pre-hospital emergency care.

All the planning, consultations and liaison on disaster planning falls under Crossley's ambit. One of the founding members of the Red Cross Air Mercy Service Flight programme, she has voluntarily and without remuneration flown or co-ordinated several such missions.

In getting the "kangaroo method" of baby transfer implemented, she has succeeded in considerably decreasing the waiting times for neonatal transfer within the emergency care services.

Due recognition was accorded to Crossley in 2001 when she triumphed as the provincial winner of the Marilyn Lahana Trust Caring Award. "Being able to help patients by successful running a Mobile Treatment Unit that was operated from a truck and tent with limited facilities counts as one of the high-points inmy career," she adds.

She looks forward to further changes in the health sector over the next ten years.

Lynette Denny

Professor Lynette Denny has saved innumerable lives amongst rural women due to her commitment to combat the spread of cervical cancer in disadvantaged areas. Having started community-based research in 1996 with US $40 000, the viability of the project currently attracts an annual funding of US $750 000.

Together with her team of over forty women, she attempts to redress the lack of access to resources in remote settings through constant innovation. She has converted old shipping containers into clinics and is always searching for cheaper ways of detecting cancer and the means to link results with better treatment.

In a ground-breaking development, the result of a first-third world collaboration with Columbia University in the US, she recently discovered an alternative to the traditional "pap smear". Once implemented, this is projected to save the lives of approximately 250 000 women annually.

Last year, her efforts were nationally recognised when Denny scooped the Shoprite Checkers/ SABC 2 Woman of the Year Award in the Science and Technology category.

"One of the main considerations that motivated my entry into the medical field was my desire to catapult health issues to the public and political forefront," says Denny. Over the past decade, she has been particularly impressed by developments at the level of primary health care.

"The success of one of my randomised clinical research trials involving over 7000 women from a peri-urban settlement outside Cape Town, which began in 2000 and is ongoing, and the high quality data produced, counts as one of themajor highlights ofmy career," she adds.

Professor Lynette Denny began her internship at the Groote Schuur Hospital in 1984. A year later shemoved on to Paediatrics at the Red Cross Hospital before rejoining Groote Schuur in the field of emergency medicine (Obstetrics and Gynaecology). After a two-year stint in private practice as a general practitioner (1987-1989), Denny rejoined Groote Schuur as registrar (O&G). She has been a consultant to the hospital since 1993.

As an Associate Professor and Senior Specialist in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town, one of her core responsibilities entails teaching under-andpost graduate medical and nursing students. Denny also provides training to registrars, including specialist training in fields such as colpocopy, chemotherapy, gynae-cancer surgery and the management of rape survivors. She has conducted extensive research into cervical cancer prevention in low-resource settings, cervical cancer prevention in HIV positive women as well as themanagement of rape survivors.

Academically, Denny obtained her MB ChB from UCT in 1983, her FCOG(SA) (1993), and her MMed (O&G) in 1994. Denny graduated with her doctorate in 2000 and was made Associate Professor in January 2001.

Norma Dawn Jordaan

The present CEO of the Free State Provincial Government's Thusanong, Nala and Mohau Complex hospitals, Norma Dawn Jordaan began her career as a professional nurse at Bloemfontein's National Hospital in 1973.

She also worked as a professional nurse (lieutenant) in the military services of the South African Medical Services from 1975 to 1977. As a senior professional nurse, she lectured at the Nursing College in Welkom.

She hereafter became a Professional Nurse and Assistant Matron, a Chief Professional Nurse and Nursing Service Manager before becoming the Deputy-Director (Regional Manager) under Region D (Kroonstad) of the Free State Provincial Government in 1996.

Three years later, she became the Senior Executive Officer at Kroonstad's Boitumelo Regional Hospital. In 2001 she assumed her current CEOposition.

In addition to various professional qualifications, Jordaan also attained honours degree in B.Social Science (Nursing) from the University of the Free State in 1973. She supplemented these qualifications with a Community Health Nursing Certificate, an Advanced Diploma in Nursing and her Masters Degree in Public Administration (1998).

Between 1990-2003, she chalked up four merit awards as well as a 3rd notch performance appraisal.

"My passion for nursing was probably kindled when I began caring for my hemiplegic mother at the age of eleven," says Jordaan.

Although she presently occupies a management position, she says that she is kept in touch with the basic fundamentals of nursing care because her husband and son are both diabetics.

She is intensely proud to be part of the Free State Department of Health.

In particular, she relishes the improved communication channels, openness and transparentmanagement styles exhibited by her seniors.

"Workplace improvements and the government's determination to improve the quality of public health care has considerably narrowed the gap between the public and private health care sector to the point where high quality treatment at comparatively lesser rates are available from public hospitals," states Jordaan.

She regards her elevation to the post of CEO as one of many highpoints in her life: "It has enabled me to make a positive difference to the public health care system."

Over the next 10 years, Jordaan would like to see a continuation and expansion of the changes ushered in; greater accessibility to health care facilities, especially for those living in remote areas; and, greater support and training for home-based care workers so that the quality of care given to the aged and those infected and affected with HIV and AIDS is substantially improved.

Thuli Gladys Khoza

Thuli Gladys Khoza always wanted to be amember of the noble profession and serve her community.

"From my youth I admired the nurses travelling around the clinics in the rural area where I grew up outside Nelspruit. When my mother asked me what I wanted to study, I said I want to be a nurse."

She grew up with her paternal grandparents in the Crocodile Valley area before being sent to school in Swaziland. She returned to complete her Junior Certificate and stayed at home for a year because of lack of funds. Then, in 1974, she started at Shongwe Hospital as a nursing assistant. The next year, she enrolled in a two-year nursing course. In 1980, she received a diploma in general nursing and, the next year, received her diploma in midwifery. From 1984 to 1996 she worked as a clinical instructor, supervising learners at Shongwe Hospital.

"I enjoyed that. I amhappy with what I did and the people I trained," says Khoza who remains a role model to her former students. “Nursing is a noble profession. It needs people who serve our patients and our communities," she says passionately. "Nursing is like the sea. When the waves come to the shore, it takes back all the bad things."

In 1986, she worked in a maternity ward at Shongwe hospital before doing an advanced midwifery course at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.

Then she spent two years teaching midwifery students before being appointed chief professional nurse in charge of a nursing school in 1990.

She held this position for four years before working as a facilitator in a decentralised programme formidwifery.

In 1994 she was appointed nursing service manager at Shongwe Hospital and in 1999 she joined Rob Ferreira Hospital as nursing Service manager in charge of nursing services. Her numerous leadership roles include chairperson of the Nurses Managers' Forum in Mpumalanga and chairperson of quality assurance committee at Rob Ferreira Hospital.

Khoza is general secretary of the Women's Manyano in the Methodist Church circuit and chairperson of the local burial social club. Her community involvement includes giving educational talks to the clubs on issues such as living with people with HIV and AIDS including support, nutrition and hygiene.

Apart from transformation in the health sector, Khoza notes that there have been a lot of legislative changes in the last 10 years that have impacted positively on health. Also, notes Khoza, the free primary health care services will make affordable health care accessible to everyone.

"I really appreciate Batho Pele. It is reinforcement of what our profession should be, how professionals should act towards themselves and the communities they serve. "Over the next 10 years, I would like people to be aware of what health is. I would like to see all the hospitals revitalised to be first world hospitals and for primary health care services to reach all South Africans."

Matlhodi Mary Monyepao

Matlhodi Mary Monyepao from Polokwane has been dedicated to the health profession for more than 10 years of her life. She started her professional health career in 1982 at the Department of Health and Welfare George Masebe Hospital mortuary.

She has a passion for working with people: “I got very interested in working with people since my husband is a Pastor and is constantly working with the community.

"As a Pastor's wife I also get to work with the community and that brought about the interest to be a mortuary operator and help those who have lost their loved ones".

According to Monyepao, the counselling service that she offers has had an impact on people - now they are not so afraid of coming to the mortuary to identify their loved ones.

Last year this inspirational woman made headlines within Polokwane when she was awarded best mortuary operator in the region.

Said Monyepao: "I was very pleased since all my life I had not expected to receive such high recognition for my work. This helped me realize that there are people who appreciate the work I have been doing."

This is only a stepping-stone for Monyepao and this award has added tremendous value to her life.

As chairperson of the Elsa Women's League, Monyepao has a strong community presence. In addition, she plays a key role in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Polokwane. At work, Monyepao is the George Masebe Hospital recreation committee member, bereavement committee member and the chairperson of the housing committee.

However, Monyepao will be giving up her active role at the George MasebeHospital to take on new ones.

Says Monyepao, "I will be retiring in the year 2006 and, together with my husband, will open an orphanage to continue my work to assist those in need."

“As a Pastor's wife I also get to work with the community and that brought about the interest to be a mortuary operator and help those who have lost their loved ones.” Matlhodi Mary Monyepao

Nomakhosi Gxagxisa

Dr Nomakhosi Gxagxisa's sterling work is driven by her "deep commitment to justice, the equality of all people and the restoration of the dignity of being African and black".

"Within this, is the construction of a truly revolutionised and effective health care delivery system that we can all be proud of," she adds. As a current hospital manager of the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital (PMMH) in Umlazi which, with its capacity of 1200 beds and an annual budget of R300 million, Gxagxisa oversees the largest hospital in KZN.

After schooling in Soweto (her birthplace), Transkei and KZN, Gxagxisa left South Africa in 1975. She graduated as a medical doctor from the Odessa State Medical Institute in the then Soviet Union in 1982 and returned to South Africa nine years later.

After stints at Baragwanath Hospital and the Soweto Community Health Centre, she became head of the Orlando Clinic. She also helped establish the firstChild AbuseClinic in Zola, Soweto.

Gxagxisa worked in the North-West Province since 1997 and played a crucial transformational role in the merging of two historically divided district hospitals in the Lichtenberg area.

Familial considerations motivated her transfer to KZN in 2001 where she assumed the post of Junior Superintendent at Durban's Wentworth Hospital. She was part of a team that helped the hospital attain a 100% Accreditation Status.

Four months later she was transferred to PMMH as acting hospital manager. Under trying and volatile circumstances she initiated a process of transformation, reconciliation and revitalisation, eventually succeeding in bringing a gradual sense of stability, tranquility and a shared future vision amongst a divergent set of stakeholders.

Without formal managerial qualifications, it was her creativity, tenacity, personal enthusiasm and drive which allowed her to succeed.

In getting the senior management and professionals, the provincial Portfolio Committee, the Department of Health, organised labour and the grass-roots workforce to collectively re-envision a new future, new possibilities are emerging for a truly world-class hospital in Umlazi.

She is currently working on two projects in partnership with UNICEF.

The first relates to Youth Friendly Centres which cater for youth who are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. The other project involves the Department of Home Affairs and seeks to register babies within 12 hours of birth.Over 1000 babies are born at PMMH per month.

A single parent, Gxagxisa is a mother of five and care-giver to ten. "In all things, I am strengthened bymy faith in God," she says.

Machelle Crystal Gordon

A chief professional nurse at the Hout Bay Community Health Centre, Machelle Crystal Gordon began her career as a student nurse at the Western Cape's Tygerberg Hospital in 1986.

On completing her internship four years later, she moved to the Claremont, Broad Road and Lentegeur Hospitals respectively, before transferring to the Community Health Services Organisation (CHSO) in 2001.

Gordon possesses the B.Cur (N) qualification from the University of Western Cape, including specialisation in Midwifery, Psychiatry and Community Health Nursing Services. She has distinguished herself in a broad spectrum of her job related activities such as the planning, organisation, co-ordination and supervision of Comprehensive Health Services at health sub-district level. Gordon is also responsible for optimising the management and utilisation of the budget and resources under her jurisdiction.

Also at the forefront of personnel development through education and training, ensuring safe and quality nursing care, the promotion of community participation in health matters and the implementation of the district health care delivery system, Gordon is a district co-ordinator for health information and a zone co-ordinator for Occupational Health and Safety issues. In addition, she renders yeoman service to the Hout Bay Community Health Centre where she is often expected to combine the roles of professional nurse, pharmacist and doctor. The psychiatric support she offers to mental patients is also extremely valued.

Her devotion to her patients at the Hout Bay CHC often saw her reporting for duty on days when she was scheduled to be on leave.

During her free time she has attended to the basic needs of the blind by volunteering her expertise at the League of Friends.Gordon also pioneered the implementation of a "Complaint or Compliment Box" at the CHC and successfully initiated an appointment system to minimise the time that patients spent waiting for treatment. Not surprisingly, Gordon emerged as the provincial winner and the first runner-up nationally of the Cecilia Makiwane Awards for excellence in nursing service in 2003. "My interest in nursing was sparked by my fondness for working with people since my childhood. The fact that many of my family members worked in the health profession also served as inspiration," says Gordon.

Over the last ten years, Gordon has witnessed a brain-drain from the public health services. On the flip-side, though, she says that the requirement that medical students perform community service has helped alleviate the human resource shortage.

“Our work environment in the last decade has seen an increase in the numbers reliant on the public health sector."

Hester Martha VanDer Linde

A Chief Professional Nurse at the Ellisras Hospital since 1998, Hester Martha Van der Linde started as a professional nurse at the ErmeloHospital in 1980.

In addition, she has also served at the Van Velden Gedenk Hospital before returning to the Ellisras Hospital as a professional nurse in 1992. Three years later she became the hospital's Senior Professional Nurse before becoming their Chief Professional Nurse. Van der Linde has also been a unitmanager of the maternity ward at EllisrasHospital since 1995.

A student nurse at Ermelo Hospital since 1977, Van der Linde obtained her Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery in 1980. She also completed self-study certificated courses in midwifery and neonatal care together with short courses in labour relations, basic Aids education and counselling, a computer course and breastfeeding course. She also acquired a certificate for the voluntary counselling and testing of patients forHIV and AIDS.

Van der Linde has also attended several workshops on neonatal care, Batho Pele standards, the Employment Equity Act and Performance Management Systems.

There are various programmes on which Van der Linde is involved.

These include the TURC programme which aims at preventing maternal and neonatal deaths; the Neonatal Care Programme; the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission programme; administrative re-organisation and improvement of service to clients; meeting co-ordination; and, a programme aimed at declaring the hospital as a "baby-friendly" hospital.

"I entered the nursing profession because of my desire to help people.

Besides, my older sister was a nurse and this also inspiredme," says Van der Linde.

According to Van der Linde, the introduction of optimal patient care system ranks as one of the most positive developments in her work environment over the past ten years.

"Optimal patient care requires us to go to every length to ensure that patients receive everything that they require, including information and support," explains Van der Linde.

Last year, Van der Linde received a Platinum Award in an awards ceremony for the Best Midwife in her district. She also scooped platinum at theMEC's award inNovember last year.

"These rank as the most significant highpoints of my career," remarks Van der Linde.

Over the next ten years, Van der Linde looks forward to significant improvements in the health and safety of her patients, to the extension of optimal patient care to as many clients as possible and to a drastic reduction in the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and AIDS.

Sekutu Monicca Mochadi

A Chief Professional Nurse , Sekutu Monicca Mochadi gave up her career as an educator in 1985 to join the nursing profession.

Having commenced her studies towards her People Nursing Certificate in 1986, Mochadi became an enrolled nurse at Saint Ritas hospital three years later. She became a Professional Nurse in the operating theatre of the hospital but soon attained the rank of Senior Professional Nurse before becoming Saint RitasHospital'sChief Professional Nurse in 1999. She has also received further training in HIV and Aids Voluntary Testing and Counselling; Train the Trainer Mentors; literacy tutor; Microsoft Word; Occupational health and safety (programmes, legislation and policies); prevention of mother to child transmission; management of leprosy; Chief User (procurement); and, waste management.

Mochadi is presently engaged in concurrent studies towards her Diploma in Human Resource Management as well as herMaster of Science qualification in Public Health.

In addition to her mainstream responsibilities, Mochadi is also coordinator of HIV and Aids and STIs for Saint Ritas Hospital and is the Sekhukhune District co-ordinator for Infection Control. She has also trained NGO, CBO and faith-based organisations in health care and HIV and Aids-related issues at hospital and sub-district levels.

Apart from being an active grass-roots champion of issues pertaining to HIV and Aids, STIs, life skills and moral regeneration, Mochadi has also delivered an Aids education talk in Scotland. Mochadi has occupied several leadership positions and is currently the project manager for a ComprehensiveHIV and Aids Care and Treatment programme.

Ordained as a youth pastor for moral regeneration in 1995, she is still heavily involved with the church in dealing with community issues.

Last year, she was conferred with an honorary Doctorate Degree of Divinity from the International Theological Seminary in California. In 2002, Mochadi scooped the Batho Pele Provincial Award (Excellent Clinical Nurse). Last year, she was the country's Khomanani Health Care Worker Excellence Award winner and she also excelled at the Premier's Service Excellence Awards.

Financially constrained from pursuing her dream of becoming a medical doctor, from a young age Mochadi was deeply inspired by the care and treatment rendered to her chronically ill mother by doctors and nurses. The greatest career highlight forMochadi was her qualification in 1997 as an Infection Control Nurse. “The knowledge I gained has enabled me to help many people who are afflicted with infections as diverse as HIV and Aids, TB and malaria.”

Over the next ten years, Mochadi looks forward to seeing greater availability and accessibility of health care facilities, especially primary health care, so that the government's goal of “health care for all” could be realised.

Ranie Pertab

To her patients, Ranie Pertab is staff nurse Ranie or Ma Pertab. To her colleagues she is an example of a professional who takes Batho Pele principles seriously and strives to put clients first under all circumstances.

Her managers value her professionalism and the dignity she accords patients, her initiative and enthusiasm and zeal.

Pertab enrolled as a nurse at Northdale Hospital in 1975 after the staff-strapped hospital approached her school to encourage matriculants to take up nursing. In 1978, a year after completing her training, she married and moved to Newcastle where she worked until 1999. When her husband's transfer to Ellisras meant the couple had to move again, Pertab was determined to remain in state-provided healthcare. She moved to Marapong Clinic.

"Nursing is a real calling. At a clinic the routine is that you have to be alert and know what you are doing. You need to be able to handle a crisis and work hand in hand with your colleagues so that the patients are served.

Patients come first you need to see to everyone's needs," she adds.

"There have been a lot of improvements over the last 10 years, a lot of ongoing training and information. The changes have been good for health care."

Pertab would like to see more than just ARV support for HIV positive patients.

“People are testing freely now and I would like to see HIV patients getting Anti-Retroviral Drugs. But nutrition is also important and resources are very few.We need to see how we can get proper nutrition to people who are ill.”

“There have been a lot of improvements over the last 10 years, a lot of ongoing training and information. The changes have been good for health care.” Ranie Pertab

Kesekwaemang Mary Thole Thuntsi

In 1973 Kesekwaemang Mary Thole Thuntsi boarded a train in Kimberley en route to the Transkei to start a career journey that she remains passionate about. Having just matriculated at St Boniface Girls High School in Kimberley, the health sector seemed the best career choice at the time.

At Umlamli Mission Hospital she not only received the training she desired but also gained a passion to serve others while studying for her Diploma in General Nursing Science: "It was a mission hospital and we were assisted in developing a love to serve our communities." She left to join St Mary's Hospital in Natal to study for a Diploma in Midwifery Science and was soon teaching and training young nurses. "It is beautiful to watch people whom you have trained progress and go on to serve others. " From 1985 to 1993, she was the senior tutor at the Henrietta Stockdale Nursing College and was promoted to Nursing Service Manager: Vice Principal at the college in April 1993.

During the ensuing years she continued her own studies, completing a diploma in Nursing Education, a Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing Science, and her BA (CUR) Nursing Administration and Community Health Nursing Science through UNISA in 1992. She also completed a certificate in Junior Management Training, studied Management for International Public Health at Emory University at Atlanta Georgia, Health Systems Development in Sweden and began her Masters of Social Science in Nursing at the University of the Free State. She completed this in 2003 and received an Academic Award for outstanding achievement.

In 1994 she was seconded to the Provincial Department of Health and Welfare to assist in formulating policy for transformation on the Strategic Management Team Planning towards the Reconstruction and Development of a Provincial Health and Welfare Department. During that year she participated in the compilation of a draft report of the Commission for Human Resource Development. In 1995 she was appointed acting Manager of Human Resource Development at the Department of Health and Welfare in the Northern Cape and in 1996 she was appointed district manager for theDiamond Fields Region. A position she still holds today.

"Transformation has taken place in a lot of areas and we can now say that the foundation of change has been laid," says Thuntsi.

Integration of the health services has been one of the highlights of the last 10 years, says Thuntsi.

In the next 10 years, Thuntsi would like to see policy being refined and the requirements of health care service delivery being met. And nurses being taken care of: "We call our nurses the gatekeepers of healthcare in South Africa.We need to look after them."

Noeleen Phillips

Port Shepstone Hospital manager Noeleen Phillips always wanted to serve her community. And nursing was the vehicle she chose for service. Phillips began her career in 1972 as a professional nurse with the then Transvaal Provincial Administration based at Tara Clinic.

In 1975 she became a senior professional nurse managing the specialist adolescent unit and later the specialist psychotherapeutic unit at the centre.

She also held the position of Chief Professional Nurse until 1983 when she moved to the Department of National Health as Nursing Service Manager.

"I always felt the need to provide service to my people and the place to do that was in the health sector," says Phillips.

Four years later, she became the Senior Nursing Service Manager at the thenNatal Provincial Administration where her responsibilities included management of sexual health services and training in the province. Phillips has held management positions at various levels of the health service from 1983.

She feels that the quality of management within the health sector has changed for the better in the last ten years, and that opportunities for women have been created to prove themselves within the health profession.

Academically, Phillips holds Diplomas in General Nursing, Midwifery and Psychiatric Nursing. She also attained a B. Cur degree in Education and Administration and holds a Masters degree in Social Science.

Currently she reading for a M.Phil:MCH.

She regards being in charge of maternal, child and women's health in the KZN department of health from 1997 to 2002 as one of the many highlights in her profession.

Over the next decade, Phillips would like to see an emphasis on primary health care as well as maternal, child and health issues.

On a personal note she would like to have a position in the Provincial Health Department where she can contribute in the decision-making and the improvement of primary health care in the province.