Department of Family Medicine

Person

Dr Andrew Ross

Telephone

 +27 (0)31 260 2708

Email

Rossa@ukzn.ac.za

Campus

Howard College

Research Interests

Designation

Principal Specialist and Senior lecturer

Biosketch

I am currently working in the Family Medicine department as a Principal Specialist in Family Medicine. I am responsible for coordinating the post graduate MMed (Family Medicine) registrar training program and the final year Family Medicine seven week block. I am registered for a PhD through the Department of Education and will be looking at “The educational journey of rural origin health care professionals”. I have a research interest in rural health care delivery.

Previous experience

Name of hospital:                                St Mary’s Hospital & Department of Rural Health,

                                                           Nelson Mandela School of Medicine

Post:                                                    Principal Medical Officer

                                                            February 2003- September 2003

Name of hospital:                                 Mosvold Hospital

Post:                                                     Medical Superintendent

                                                            June 1997 – Dec 2002

Name of hospital:                  Mosvold Hospital

Position held:                        Senior – Principal Medical Officer

                                              Jan 1990 – June 1997

                                              * Acting Medical Superintendent Aug 1992-May 1995

                                              * Community Medical officer Jan 1996- June 1997

                                              * Regional AIDS Co-ordinator – Region E – May 1996 – June 1997

Name of Hospital:                              Conradie Hospital       (August 1989-December 1989)

Position held                                       Senior Medical officer – initially in OPD and then in General surgery

Name of hospital:                               Khayelitsha day hospital (Feb 1999- July 1999)

Position held                                      Senior Medical officer  

Name of Hospital:                              Red Cross Hospital       (July 1988-January 1889)

Position held                                      Senior Medical officer in paediatrics

Name of Hospital:                              Baragwanath hospital (Jan – June 1988)

Position held                                      Senior Medical officer in Department of Medicine

Name of Hospital:                              Bethal Hospital, Bethal (Jan –December 1987)

Position held:                                     Medical officer

Name of Hospital:                              Coronation Hospital (Jan-Dec 1986)

Position held:                                     Intern (4 months in medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics and gynaecology)

Achievements:

• Recipient – Public sector innovation award 2013
• Top 20 research publication output at UKZN
• Winner Sunday Times Johnny Walker Nations greatest individual award 2013.
• Lead SA Hero’ July 2013
• Innovation Scholarship scheme for rural students to train as health professionals. Currently 132 graduates and 192 in the pipeline
• All Africa public sector innovation awards                  October 2008
• Impumelelo platinium award              May 2008
• Discovery excellence award – June 2007 for the work being done with the scholarship scheme in Ingwavuma
• Impumelelo Award (February 2003) for work done with the Scholarship scheme in Ingwavuma
• Premiers Good Governance Award (November 2002) for work done with the Scholarship scheme in Ingwavuma
• Finalist in the Investing in the Future awards (2001) for the work done with the locally based scholarship scheme
• Finalist in the 1999 Impumelelo Awards programme for work done with the Ingqalabutho sanitation programme
• Co-ordinated a sanitation program that oversaw the construction of more that 2000 VIP toilets in the Mosvold subdistrict (1996 – 2001)
• 1996-2001 Developed a post graduate vocational training programme and an anaesthetic training programme at Mosvold Hospital, in conjunction with Ngwelezana Hospital and the other hospitals in the Umkhanyakude District
• Co-ordinated the KwaZulu Government nutrition projects in Ingwavuma 1993-1994
• Successfully applied for IDT funding for community projects (drought relief funding) 1995

 Special Appointments:

• Hospital Inspector for the intern subcommittee of the HPCSA since 2003
• External examiner for Family Medicine final year students at MEDUNSA, Walter Sisulu University, and UCT
• Co-ordinator of the University of Pretoria 6th year obstetric block at Mosvold Hospital
• Member of the District Finance committee (2002- 2002)
• Member of the District Human Resource Development committee (2001- 2002)
• Founder, Executive director and Co-ordinator of Friends of Mosvold Scholarship Scheme. Established in 1998 this scheme aims to train local students as health professional for Mosvold Hospital. Currently this scholarship scheme is supporting 180 students across 14 health disciplines.
• Co-ordinator of the Ingqalabutho Sanitation programme 1998- 2000 – responsible for the construction of 2500 VIP toilets in the Mosvold subdistrict  (total cost of project R 2 500 000.00)
• Co-ordinator of the Rural Health Initiative project at Mosvold Hospital (1998- 2002)
• Regional AIDS co-ordinator Region E. May 1996-June 1997
• 1995. Founded the Friends of Mosvold Trust- To raise funds for Health development in the Mosvold Subdistrict. Over the last 7 years funds have been raised for: vehicles for the Community health Worker facilitators, the Community based rehabilitation programme, under 5 immunization team, AIDS team, accommodation for nurses at Manyiseni clinic, AIDS programmes –CHW training, school education programmes, Kwasihambi AIDS education and feeding programme

General

Present outside interests:                                              Reading, Walking

Membership of professional bodies:                            Health Professional Council of SA

                                                                                    Medical Protection Society

                                                                                    Academy of Family Practice

                                                                                    Rural Doctors Associations

Founder member                                                         Friends of Mosvold Trust 1995

Trustee FOM                                                                1995- 2001, 2008 – currently

Founder member                                                         Friends of Mosvold scholarship scheme 1998

Principle fund raiser FOM SS                                      1998 – 2008

Currently supervising a number of postgraduate masters research projects and working towards a PhD protocol.

Researchgate Profile

List of Publications

• Ross A, Mash B. African primary care research: Reviewing the literature. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med. 2014;6(1)Art.584, 4 pages. http://dx.doi.org.10.4102/phcfm.v6i1.584
• Diab P, McNeil P, Ross A.J. Review of final year medical students’ rural attachment at district hospitals in KZN: student perspectives. SAFam Pract J 2014;56(1):57- 62
• Luke CA, Moosa MYS, Esterhuizen TM, Knight SE, Saman S, Ross A. Lactic acidosis, risk factors and predictive laboratory markers: A nested case-control study in South Africa. S Afr Fam Pract J 2014; 56(1):63-68.
• Compliance with diabetes guidelines at a regional hospital in KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa Igbojiaku OJ, Harbor OC, Ross A.. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med. 2013;5(1), Art. #447, 5 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ phcfm.v5i1.447
• Khan FY, Ross AJ. Hepatitis B Immunisation amongst doctors and laboratory personnel in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med. 2013;5(1), Art. #452, 6 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ phcfm.v5i1.452
• Somera YS, Ross A. Contraceptive knowledge and practice among HIV-positive
• Ngene N, Ross A, Moodley J. Characteristics of women having first trimester termination of  pregnancy in a regional hospital in KZN. South Afr J Epidemiol Infect 2013;28(2):102-105
• Oni E, Ross A, van der Linde S. Contraceptive practices among HIV positive women of childbearing age attending an ARV clinic in South Africa.  Afr J Prm Health Care Fam Med. 2013;5(1);1-6.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ phcfm.v5i1.461
• Nkabinde T C, Ross A, Reid S, Nkwanyana N M. Internship training adequately prepares South African medical graduates for Community Service – with exceptions. SAfr Med J. 2013;103(12):930-934
• Cheevers EJ, Ross A. Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids in medical students. Occupational Health Southern Africa. 2013;19(6):25-28The prevalence and impact of tobacco smoking among health care workers in public hospitals in the Amajuba district. Okeke PI, Ross AJ, Esterhuizen T, Van Wyk JM.  S Afr Fam Pract 2012;54(1):61-67
• Sharps disposal practices among diabetic patients using insulin. Govender D, Ross A. S Afr Med J 2012;102:163-164.
• A retrospective study to measure the effect of the introduction of a standard monitoring protocol on the metabolic control of type 2 diabetic patients at Addington hospital. Gill J, Ross A, Pirie F. S Afr Fam Pract 2012;54(2):151-155
• Scholarship success: Umthombo Youth Development Foundation. Ross A, MacGregor G. S Afr Med J 2012;102(5):288
• Trauma unit workload at King Edward V111 hospital, Durban, KwaZulu Natal. Pillay KK, Ross A. S Afr Med J 2012;102(5):307-308
• Delay in commencing treatment for MDR-TB at a specialised TB treatment centre in KwaZulu – Natal. Narasimooloo R, Ross A. S Afr Med J 2012;102(6):260-262
• Correlations between knowledge of HIV, attitudes and perceptions of HIV and a willingness to test for HIV at a regional hospital in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Orisakwe E, Ross A, Ocholla P. Correlation between knowledge of HIV, attitudes and perceptions of HIV and a willingness to test for HIV at a regional hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, North America, 4, jul. 2012. Available at: <http://www.phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/376/389>. Date accessed: 18 Jul. 2012.
• Exploration of pain in children on antiretroviral treatment in a regional hospital in South Africa. Azam M, Campbell L, Ross AJ. SA Fam Pract 2012;54(4):358-362.
• Exploring the gap between surgical norms and standards and actual practice at district hospitals in the Umzinyathi district. Siddique MI, Ross AJ. SA Fam Pract 2011;53(2):182-188
•  Factors that positively influence adherence to antiretroviral therapy by HIV and / or AIDS patients and their caregivers. Ross A, Aung M, Campbell L, Ogunbanjo G. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, North America, 3, aug. 2011. Available at: <http://www.phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/196/291>. Date accessed: 08 Aug. 2011.
• Occupational exposure to blood-borne or body fluid pathogens among medical interns at Addington Hospital, Durban.  Hafeeza K, Rangiah C, Ross A. S Afr Fam Pract 2011;53(5):462-466
• Retention of knowledge and skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation among healthcare providers after training. Govender K, Rangiah C, Ross A, Campbell L.  SA Fam Pract 2010;52(5):459-462
• The retention of Community Service Officers at District Hospitals in KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Limpopo Provinces. Ross A. Reid S. SA Fam Pract 2009;51(3):249-253
• Success of a scholarship scheme for rural students. Ross A.S Afr Med J 2007; 97: 1087-1090

• women receiving antiretroviral therapy at a district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. S Afr Fam
• Pract 2013;55(2):196-200
• Lochart Y, Ross A, Ramlachan P. Rangiah C The prevalence of erectile dysfunction in a primary health care clinic in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. S Afr Fam Pract 2013;55(3):289-293

·         Rural scholarship schemes: A solution to the human resource crisis in rural district hospitals?  Ross A, Couper ID.  SAFP . 2004;46(1)

• Vaughn Williams CH, La Lock C, Henry GFJ, Ross AJ. Audit of failure rate at coartem to treat falciparum malaria at single fourteen day follow-up SA Fam Pract.2002;25 (3)
• Vaughn Williams CH, La Lock C, Henry GFJ, Ross AJ. Audit of failure rate of sulfadoxine/ pyrimethamine combined with Chloroquine to treat falciparum malaria at single fourteen – day follow-up SA Fam Pract. 2002;25(3)
• Rural Health issues – WONCA 5^th World Conference on Rural Health, Melbourne – Rural Recruitment. SA Fam Pract 2002, 25 (4)
• The experiences of TB patients in Mosvold Health district who have successfully completed treatment. Ross AJ, Hugo JFM. SA Fam Pract. 1999; 21(2):