The HCert (Vacc) programme is a basic introductory programme for in-service HCWs who work in EPI-SA and private sector clinics offering infant / childhood vaccination services. HCert (Vacc) is designed to equip HCWs with the theoretical knowledge and practical expertise necessary for running an up-to-date clinic offering infant / childhood vaccination services. HCert (Vacc) introduces students to key concepts in vaccinology, and at the end of the programme students will be knowledgeable about vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccines, vaccination and immunisation, and will be able to apply this knowledge in the practice of vaccine delivery and administration within the framework of EPI-SA.
The programme is divided into 2 blocks consisting of 11 modules over 30 weeks. The duration of the first block is 15 weeks, with a draft Portfolio of Vaccinology Theory and Practice being submitted for Mid-Year Formative Assessment at the end of Week 15. The duration of the second block is 15 weeks and includes practical assignments with formative assessments of practice and a certificate of competence being issued when students have mastered all the techniques. During week 30, students finalise and submit their final Portfolio of Vaccinology Theory and Practice which is used for the End of Year Summative Assessment.
Minimum admission requirements: Registered General Nurse and Midwife with the SA Nursing Council, or a 3 year qualification in a relevant health science (i.e. in which training in vaccinating is included) from a tertiary institution registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
Students must register for the academic year at the beginning of the year before the closing date, as specified in the SMU General Calendar.
Banking Details are as follows:
Account name: SMU; Bank name: Standard Bank, Account no.: 071244395 Branch no.: 020909; Ref no.: Your ID/ Passport number/ Student number
Priority will be given to in-service HCWs who are currently working within the field of vaccination, or who are planning to work within this field in the near future. Applicants will be required to write a motivation explaining why they should be accepted for this programme. 5 Recognition of prior learning: Modules 6 to 11 all have practical assignments which are based on vaccination practices. Students who are already competent in vaccination practices and can produce evidence of this competence, will be able to submit this evidence and thus be exempt from completing these assignments. Their supervisor / manager / employer will be required to complete and sign a certificate of practice for each specific task, and these certificates will form part of the Portfolio of Vaccinology Theory and Practice
The duration of study for the HCert (Vacc) programme is subject to the stipulations under Rules G9 and G10 in the SMU General Calendar. Minimum duration period: 1 year Maximum duration period: 2 years A student who interrupts his/her studies retains credit for modules passed for a maximum period of two years, subject to Rule G10 in the SMU General Calendar
There are many other advanced vaccinology courses offered by other institutions globally – For more information, click here for International collaboration on advanced vaccinology training (ICAVT) e-portal
The VSCs are based on the online higher certificate in vaccinology [HCert (Vacc)] programme, which is a basic introductory programme for in-service healthcare workers (HCWs) who work in the Expanded Programme on Immunisation of South Africa (EPI-SA). Throughout the process of developing the HCert (Vaccinology) programme, several stakeholders had pointed out that online programmes may not be accessible to all HCWs, and not all HCWs want to gain a qualification, but they do want to stay up-to-date in the field of vaccinology for continuous professional development (CPD) purposes. Thus, since 2016 SAVIC has been offering all the HCert (Vaccinology) modules in an annual series of three two-day Vaccinology Short Courses (VSCs) for certificates of attendance which are CPD-accredited by the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Each of the VSCs is offered over two days, with VSC1 covering Modules 1-4, VSC2 covering Modules 5, 6 and 8, and VSC3 covering Modules 7 and 9-11.
On the first day of the course, students are given access to a Dropbox link containing all the teaching materials, which include:
The course is offered face-to-face and uses problem-based formative assessment as a teaching tool. Each VSC is offered over two days. Day one starts with pre-course testing (knowledge testing in 2016-2018; self-confidence testing included in 2019), followed by presenting up-to-date information and discussions, on the three or four modules/sub-modules of each VSC. Homework assignments are given to participants on the first day, which together with the presentations (including transcripts) made on day one, allow for reflection on what they learned and further equip them to participate in group work that takes place on the second day. This group work (ideally 4 participants per group) involves a hypothetical scenario set for each module / sub-module covered on day one (4 modules / sub-modules in total), upon which a different multiple-choice question (MCQ) for each group is based, with each MCQ being designed to assess deep-level learning. This activity allows participants to apply what they have learned, with the basic facts that are needed to formulate the answers to all questions having been covered during day one. After working together to decide which answers are correct / incorrect, a member from each group presents these answers and explains why they are correct / incorrect. Thereafter the lecturer for each module provides formative feedback on all questions and answers, followed by a discussion period, which allows participants to assess their own performance and again deepen their learning.
When the Med Safety App was rolled-out in South Africa, the head of SAVIC (Prof Hannelie (JC) Meyer), developed additional training as an update to Module 4 of the NDoH COVID-19 vaccination training for health workers. The main objectives of this training were to provide a short overview of the Med Safety App; to provide hands-on experience using the Med Safety App for reporting AEFI; and to answer participants’ questions posted to the Knowledge Hub or live during the sessions.
The Med Safety App is a mobile application that replaces the paper-based system for reporting suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and adverse events following immunisation (AEFI). It can be downloaded for free (see download link: https://medsafety.sahpra.org.