The School of Medicine at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) marked 30 years of continuing medical education through its 2026 Healthcare Workers Refresher Course, held from 11 to 13 September at The Maslow Time Square Hotel in Menlyn, Pretoria.
The three-day programme brought together healthcare professionals, specialists and academics under the theme, “From Traditional Health Care Worker to the Next Generational Health Care Worker”. It focused on strengthening clinical knowledge and preparing practitioners to respond to emerging medical, technological and ethical challenges.
Professor Mojakgomo Hendrick Motswaledi, Head of the Department of Dermatology at SMU, delivered the opening remarks and served as programme director during the opening sessions. The first day featured presentations on women’s health, obstetric care, primary healthcare, chronic conditions and acute medical management.
Professor Lineo Matsela, an obstetrician and gynaecologist recently inaugurated as President of the South African Menopause Society, presented “Building a Supportive Culture Around Menopause”. Her contribution emphasised the importance of improving practitioners’ understanding of menopause and strengthening patient-centred care.
Further sessions addressed basic obstetric ultrasound, antenatal care from a South African perspective, prevention and population health, and digital transformation in primary healthcare. Participants also explored practical approaches to chronic diarrhoea and chronic kidney disease, alongside updates on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, paediatric surgical emergencies, breast cancer screening and viral hepatitis.
Saturday’s programme placed particular emphasis on ethics and multidisciplinary practice. Discussions covered multidisciplinary team management, atopic eczema, asthma, pulmonary pathologies, anaphylactic shock, acute burns and diabetic foot sepsis. Delegates also examined the assessment and management of polytrauma patients and acute coronary syndromes in primary healthcare.
The ethical use of artificial intelligence by current and next-generation healthcare workers featured prominently, reflecting technology’s growing influence in clinical practice and the need for responsible professional judgement.
A major highlight was the 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner, which celebrated three decades of excellence in continuing medical education. The evening included reflections on the refresher course’s history, an address on promotion and funding, recognition of contributors and sponsors, and an anniversary toast.
Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Dini Mawela delivered the Welcome Address, while Professor Risenga Frank Chauke, Dean of the School of Medicine, led the recognition of contributors and sponsors. Past and present organisers, long-standing supporters and healthcare professionals were acknowledged for their role in sustaining the initiative.
The final day addressed bleeding patients, re-emerging viral diseases in South Africa, early diagnosis of multiple myeloma, erectile dysfunction and the assessment and management of critically ill patients. Ethical discussions focused on intimate partner violence, compassion fatigue and moral injury in professional decision-making.
The 2026 course reaffirmed that preparing the next generation of healthcare workers requires more than clinical expertise. It also demands ethical judgement, technological awareness, resilience, collaboration and a sustained commitment to patient-centred care. Through continuing medical education, SMU continues to strengthen professional practice and help develop South Africa’s healthcare workforce.
By Dimakatso Modise
