The Course

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A blend of theory and practical training, the Health Promotional Officer is a QCTO-accredited occupational qualification with the course breakdown being 25% knowledge, 38% practical skills, and 37% workplace experience. All theoretical training is via our online learning platform through our Kroonstad-based Campus at Chithi FET College. You will be placed within our partner organizations for your practical training.

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Why choose this course?

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The National Health Council has mandated massive improvement in health outcomes and for this to occur significant steps need to be taken in the restructuring of the health system.

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The restructured health financing system – the National Health Insurance (NHI) – is based on the ward system that has been implemented in KwaZulu-Natal. Each ward will have one or more Primary Health Care (PHC) outreach teams comprising a professional nurse, environmental health and health promotion practitioners as well as up to five community health workers who are expected to serve a population of approximately 7 660 people.

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The HPO qualification will form an integral part of this strategy. Starting as HPO’s, through a process of ongoing education these individuals will eventually become Community Health Workers who will be employed by the various government departments (with current needs estimated at approximately
70 000 people!).

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Duties are varied and include:

• Providing basic nursing care

• Treating simple diseases, injuries, and wounds and referring to clinics

• Providing palliative care

• Taking temperature, BP, pulse, and respiration

• Checking on outbreaks of transmitted diseases, teaching, and referring for treatment 

• Check Sexually Transmitted infections, teach, and refer for treatment

• Check children and refer them for immunization

• Check pregnant mothers, mothers who have given birth, and their babies and refer them for treatment

• HIV and AIDS testing and counseling

• Check drug and substance abusers and refer them to rehabilitation centers

• Tech people about the dangers of drug and substance abuse

• Teach people about basic in-house hygiene, the environment, and water

• Teach people about women, men’s, and children’s health

• Teach people about healthy lifestyles

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Further Career Opportunities

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As you will have an occupational qualification certificate, you will be eligible for certain access recognition in various NQF Level 4 qualifications.