Study Opportunities
The Department of Geriatrics participates in the undergraduate and postgraduate programs of the Division of Medicine.
A journal club alternating with Topic Discussions is held on Fridays at the seminar room at the Geriatrics/Rheumatology clinic at IALCH as part of the Diploma in Geriatric Medicine course.
International Collaboration
The department is a partner in the International Collaboration for the Care of the Elderly (I.C.C.E.) with the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly (NICE), Canada. The aim of this initiative is knowledge transfer. The department has chosen the field of dementia and will work in conjunction with Dr Suvira Ramlall in establishing culturally sensitive and appropriate tools for the assessment of cognition.
Clinical Services
The clinical services are provided at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital and includes inpatient, outpatient and consultative services. A Geriatrics clinic (for older persons with complicated multisystem disorder) is held weekly and multidisciplinary Memory and Movement Disorders clinics led by the Department of Neurology are held monthly.
Completed
PhD: Dr Farhanah Paruk
MMed completed:
Dr I Naidoo
Dr P Chutterpaul
Dr J Narainsamy
Dr N Hassen
Dr K Naidoo
Dr M Essadi
In progress
PhD : Dr S Dela
MMed
Dr S Rauff
Dr K Naidu
Dr G Dlamini
Dr SR Temmers
Diploma in Geriatric Medicine
Completed
Dr L Kallideen
Dr S Mohan
Dr S Patel
Dr Y Moola
Dr N Hassen
The main areas of research are ageing and osteoporosis.
Previous research projects include
- The influence of socio-economic and environmental factors on the health status and quality of life in older persons in the Inanda, KwaMashu and Ntuzuma areas funded by SANPAD (The South Africa Netherlands research Programme on Alternatives in Development).
- A comparison of the demographic profile, risk factors, outcomes and health care costs in geriatric patients with and without osteoporotic hip fractures in the public health sector in the eThekwini Municipality. Funded by an unrestricted educational grant from Servier Pty. Ltd and the University of KwaZulu-Natal
Ongoing projects
- The incidence of osteoporotic hip fractures in South Africa and the development of gender and ethnic specific FRAX® models for South Africa. This is a multicentre study conducted in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Western Cape. The study was funded by a SIR grant from the South African Medical Research Council and a Competitive Grant from UKZN.
- Fractures E3: The epidemiology, economic impact and ethnography of fragility fractures in Sub-Saharan Africa. This is a multinational study (to be conducted in SA, The Gambia and Zimbabwe) funded by the Wellcome Trust Grant and led by Professor Celia Gregson from the University of Bristol, UK.
- Musculoskeletal functional ability in three diverse sub-Saharan Africa populations: assessing muscle strength and function. Funded by the UK MRC and led by Professor Kate Ward (U Southampton).
Current postgraduate students
MMED
Dr F Dawood
Topic: An evaluation of the acceptability of the Assessment of Clinical Competency and Oral Structured Case Based Examination for the Fellowship of Physicians (South Africa) during the COVID-19 pandemic
Dr N Shandu
Topic: The clinical and serological profile and management of patients with Systemic Sclerosis in South Africa: a single centre experience
PhD
Dr S Dela
Topic: The incidence of osteoporotic hip fractures in South Africa and the development of gender and ethnic specific FRAX® models for South Africa
Dr Y Madela
Topic: The prevalence of, and clinical risk factors for, frailty and self-reported falls in the older population living in peri urban and rural KwaZulu Natal, South Africa (SA).
Dr B Mbanjwa
Topic: Prevalence, Risk Factor, and Impact of Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis in Urban and Rural South African Populations
Outreach programmes include:
- Continuing medical education programmes for medical and allied health workers.
- Clinical support for non-governmental organisations e.g. The Association for the Aged (TAFTA) and the Bessie Makatini Foundation
Protocols and Standard Operating Procedures
