Phakamisa is AstraZeneca’s access to healthcare initiative in South Africa
The initiative supports early detection of disease, promotion of primary prevention, and shortened referral pathways for breast and prostate cancer, through capacity building, awareness and access.
The Phakamisa programme launched 10 years ago bringing together different organisations, partners and affiliates to help reduce the burden of noncommunicable disease, with breast and prostate cancer patients being the ultimate beneficiaries. To date, the programme has reached over 1,63 million people through outreach activities led by community healthcare workers, with 19,700 women identified with breast issues. We now look forward to expanding our reach through our partnerships, ensuring that we support all levels of healthcare and the communities they serve.
We aspire to work with healthcare partners to redefine care for non-communicable diseases in South Africa by; Increasing awareness, training community health workers and healthcare professionals and facilitating access to care.
AWARENESS
Increasing awareness and educating around cancer symptoms and risk factors, with a focus on self-examination and identification.
Patients are the priority of the Phakamisa initiative. It is important that patients are aware of cancer symptoms and risk factors and how to do breast self-examinations. Phakamisa’s Awareness pillar focuses on building understanding within communities by hosting awareness and screening events, providing informative pamphlets and illustrative diagrams about breast and prostate cancer.
The Phakamisa initiative works closely with communities to build understanding of the disease and reduce the stigma of breast and prostate cancer through education on symptoms and treatment options. Public awareness can help drastically change the culture around breast and prostate cancer and encourage those with symptoms to reach out for medical attention.
Trained healthcare workers educate diagnosed patients on their treatment options and what they can expect throughout their cancer journey, and help them to understand what life after treatment may be like, including the various physical problems they may encounter.
TRAINING
Training community health workers and healthcare professionals, across all levels of care, from Primary Care Clinics and Community Healthcare Centres to District and Tertiary Hospitals, to ensure effective diagnosis and enhanced referral systems.
Phakamisa works to increase the ability of the healthcare system to handle the burden that breast and prostate cancer creates. Public clinics and hospitals are overwhelmed by the number of patients who need care. We work with NPOs and the National Department of Health to increase the capabilities of these facilities, training community health workers and healthcare professionals, across all levels of care, from Primary Care Clinics and Community Healthcare Centres to District and Tertiary Hospitals, to ensure effective diagnosis and enhanced referral systems.
Training ranges from symposiums about breast and prostate cancer, access to accredited professional development videos, as well as more in-depth programmes offered through Phakamisa’s partnership with tertiary education institutions.
Phakamisa works to increase the ability of the healthcare system to handle the burden that breast and prostate cancer creates. Public clinics and hospitals are overwhelmed by the number of patients who need care. We work with NPOs and the National Department of Health to increase the capabilities of these facilities, training community health workers and healthcare professionals, across all levels of care, from Primary Care Clinics and Community Healthcare Centres to District and Tertiary Hospitals, to ensure effective diagnosis and enhanced referral systems.
Training ranges from symposiums about breast and prostate cancer, access to accredited professional development videos, as well as more in-depth programmes offered through Phakamisa’s partnership with tertiary education institutions.
ACCESS
Facilitating access to care at the lower levels of the healthcare system and improving referral timelines, that result in early diagnosis and timeous intervention and care for better treatment outcomes.
Phakamisa’s main priority for breast and prostate cancer is for patients to have access to support as well as clinical care. We provide patients with access to healthcare information and emotional support through community outreach events and facilitate access to medical care at the lower levels of the healthcare system to improve referral timelines. Our aim is to enable early diagnosis and timeous intervention and care for better treatment outcomes.