Overview

About the Society

The Southern African HIV Clinicians Society (the Society) is a membership organisation of over 3 000 health care workers with an interest in HIV. The Society’s mission is to promote evidence-based, quality HIV healthcare in Southern Africa.

The Society is a non-profit company (NPC) and is governed by an eight-member Board of Directors, all of whom serve a two-year term. The current Board is led by an elected President, Dr Francesca Conradie . The Board’s term expires in November 2013.

The Society has one committee, the Child and Adolescent Committee, which is governed by a five member leadership group. The purpose of the committee is to advance best practice HIV prevention, care and treatment services for children and adolescents.

The Society’s membership includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care professionals working in the field of HIV. Members of the Society are amongst the most respected and influential HIV clinicians and policy makers within Southern Africa and hold prestigious positions within academic, public and private organizations in the field of HIV in the region.

The Society’s secretariat is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is led by its Chief Executive Officer, Lauren Jankelowitz.

Our Work

The Society strives to support and strengthen the capacity of its members to deliver high quality, evidence-based HIV prevention, care and treatment services through the following activities:

• Journals and Publications: The Society’s flagship publication is the Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine. The Journal was founded in 2000 and publishes original research, case reports, commentary and reviews. The Journal is edited by Prof Landon Myer.
  Since 2010, the Society has produced a magazine specifically for nurses working in HIV, HIV Nursing Matters. The magazine is edited by Ms Nelouise Geyer, and serves as a resource for nurses in the region providing HIV services, including the initiation and management of antiretroviral treatment.
  The Society’s newsletter, Transcript, is a six-yearly publication which provides updates on HIV-related news, resources, trainings and events.
• Practice Guidelines: The Society appoints expert committees to develop guidelines addressing aspects of the management of HIV. Guidelines developed by the Society are adopted by the medical aid industry and have been adapted by the National Department of Health.
• Meetings: The Society hosts regular CPD-accredited cme-meetings across South Africa, Namibia and Botswana; these meetings foster interaction among HIV health care professionals and provide up-to-date information on HIV.
• Conference: The Society’s will host its first conference November 25-28, 2012 in Cape Town. The conference theme is “Striving for Clinical Excellence” and will include one year’s free membership to the Society, CPD points for the year (including Ethics points), exposure to Southern Africa’s top clinicians, a stellar international faculty and competence-enhancing skills-building sessions.
• Clinical Resources: In February 2012 the Society launched an online clinical case study programme to support increased access to high quality, evidence-based HIV information to clinicians via the internet. The programme is CPD-accredited and covers relevant and timely clinical issues impacting HIV providers.
  The Society also moderates two discussion group listservs: one on paediatric and adolescent HIV, and one on policy and ethics.
• Policy and Advocacy: The Society advocates for the highest quality HIV care for people living with HIV, and is a powerful and independent voice within Southern Africa, with key representation from the most experienced and respected professionals working in the fight against HIV.