FCPHM(SA)

THE COLLEGES OF MEDICINE OF SOUTH AFRICA

Incorporated Association not for gain
Reg No 1955/000003/08

Examination for the Fellowship of the

College of Public Health Medicine of South Africa
4 April 2016
Paper 1

Long Questions

(3 hours)

Each question to be answered in a separate book (or books if more than one is required for the one answer). Candidates
must answer three of the following four questions.
All the questions carry equal marks. The use of personal hand-held calculators is permitted.

THREE OF THE FOUR QUESTIONS MUST BE ANSWERED

1

Childhood Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in South Africa. The National Minister of
Health has made it one of his Key Priority Areas. As the newly appointed Public Health Medicine
advisor to the National Minister of Health, outline your comprehensive and intersectoral strategy
to address to this issue.
[33 ]

Critically discuss the state of Mental Health in South Africa and what recommendations would
you advise the Minister of Health to improve it?
[33 ]

A new level two hospital has been established in the district where you are employed as a
Public Health Medicine Specialist. Subdomain 2.6 of the Patient Safety, Clinical Governance
and Clinical Care domain of National Core Standards for Health Establishments in South
Africa focusses on infection prevention and control. You are requested by the District Manager
to assist the new hospital to implement an infection control program. Outline how you would
structure this infection control program?
[33 ]

The White Paper on the National Health Insurance has just been released. Critically discuss its
implications for the public health sector, the private health sector and proposals for its possible
financing.
[33 ]

FCPHM(SA)

THE COLLEGES OF MEDICINE OF SOUTH AFRICA

Incorporated Association not for gain
Reg No 1955/000003/08

Examination for the Fellowship of the

College of Public Health Medicine of South Africa
6 April 2016
Paper 3

Short Questions

(3 hours)

Each question to be answered in a separate book (or books if more than one is required for the one answer). Candidates
must answer ten of the following four questions.
All the questions carry equal marks. The use of personal hand-held calculators is permitted.

TEN OF THE TWELVE QUESTIONS MUST BE ANSWERED

1

What are the main elements of an occupational tuberculosis surveillance programme for
health care workers?
[10]

Define Total Quality Management and using the Donabedian framework describe how you
would measure the quality of a clinical service?
[10]

What is a public health policy, programme, goal and objective? Use any current public health
example to illustrate your answer.
[10]

The Essential Drug Programme was established by the national department of health in
1996. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this programme.
[10]

South Africa has the third highest TB incidence in Africa. Discuss the implications and
recommendations of the recent national shortage and stock out of BCG in South Africa. [10]

Deaths due to violence and injury have increased globally, and 90% of these deaths continue
to occur in low and middle income countries. Critically discuss South Africas response to the
epidemic of violence in South Africa.
[10]

Prepare a short report on the public health implications of fracking for a Manager of a Health
District in South Africa where extensive fracking is proposed.
[10]
PTO/Page 2 Question 8

Discuss the role and limitations of molecular epidemiology in the control of infectious
diseases.
[10]

STATSA reports an increase in mortality from diabetes. Briefly discuss the epidemiology of
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in South Africa and its control in South Africa.
[10]

10

Why do populations grow? Describe three policy approaches to limit population growth and
describe what the public health impacts of each approach?
[10]

11

A study showed a positive association between per capita alcohol consumption and mortality
from coronary heart disease (CHD) in ten countries in Europe. Discuss the type of study
design, its characteristic features and limitations to answer the research question. Give three
explanations for the observed association between per capita alcohol consumption and CHD
mortality.
[10]

12

What are the public health implication of climate change and what can be done to mitigate its
adverse effects on health making reference to the recent Paris climate change conference?
[10]