Programme

The RHC2025 will have a Face-to-Face programme at Ascot Conference Centre.

See the end of the page for a standard outline programme. We aim to get at least 16 CPD points for the conference, but the points are only determined once all the abstracts are confirmed.

RHC2025 Theme: Rural Health in Real Life

Dates: Tuesday 16th to Thursday 18th September 2025

It is time to showcase the amazing rural services we have developed. We want you to tell your story about what you are doing that is working . The 2025 Rural Health Conference invites healthcare professionals and researchers to submit abstracts that align with the overarching theme, "Rural Health in Real Life" .The burden of disease is at highest peak in rural areas, therefore warranting the allocation of rural proofing resources that reflect rural needs. We are seeking innovative contributions that explore: the lived realities, challenges, and innovations that shape healthcare in rural communities. It’s about the resilience of healthcare workers, the ingenuity required to deliver services in resource-limited settings, and the voices of the patients whose experiences define the system. This theme invites abstracts that reflect on practical solutions, community-driven initiatives, policy implications, and the personal stories of those working at the heart of rural healthcare. Whether it’s addressing workforce shortages, leveraging technology for better access, or navigating the social determinants of health, we encourage submissions that capture the essence of rural health as it is truly experienced—on the ground, in the clinic, at the bedside, and beyond.

If you have done research - Great! If you haven't done research we still want to hear what you are doing. At this conference we will have a chance to share our accomplishments and be inspired by others.

RHC2025 Programme to Download

RHC2025 Abstract Booklet to Download

The 4 Streams of the conference

Every year, the Rural Health Conference is organised around four streams, covering the key facets of achieving the right to health for rural populations. The annual conference theme adds the particular focus for the presentations, discussions and keynote speakers which fall under each stream. For information on previous conferences click here

1. Building Rural Inter-professional Teams: Understanding our unique roles & shared responsibilities within the healthcare team is essential for delivering a comprehensive primary/district health care service and achieving universal health coverage. Rural healthcare workers often have the benefit of small teams and therefore unique opportunities for multidisciplinary learning and service delivery. Trans-disciplinary teamwork needs to begin at undergraduate level and continue through community service and afterward. Strong mentoring, supervision and leadership is needed for this to take place.

2. Health Systems Management: Wonderful health policies mean nothing unless they are translated into clear service packages in every province, with the resources to support their implementation.. Health systems management focuses on the budgeting and resources required for strengthening service delivery as well as governance structures, quality improvement measures and inter-sectoral partnerships. Strong management is vital for effective & efficient health care which narrows the service delivery gaps between urban & rural areas.

3. Community engagement & the voice of end users: community engagement relates to working with the community around the health facility as well as the Department of Health working with user groups, health advocates, alternative health workers, and the professional associations to identify the health issues, health needs, and professional solutions that can be offered to ensure Universal Health Care for all our citizens.

4. Policy & Practice: we need to reach for the stars and say what is ideal, propose policy, interrogate policy and translate policy into effective practice. This can be done by identifying: Best Practice models of service delivery, the gaps between policy & practice, and educating NHI private practitioners in equity, DoH systems and DoH standard treatment guidelines.

RHC2025 Keynote Speakers

RuDASA Keynote: Dr Ndiviwe Mphothulo

Dr Ndiviwe Mphothulo is the RuDASA 2025 Keynote speaker.  As Keynote Speaker for RuDASA he will speak on the topic: The Role of Medical Doctors as Activists in South Africa: South African medical doctor’s Legacy of fighting for Social Justice and what should be our role as this generation?

Ndiviwe  explores the historical and contemporary role of medical doctors as activists in South Africa, highlighting their tireless efforts to address injustice, promote social justice, and uphold human dignity. Through a journey spanning from the late 1800s to the present, he will showcase pioneering doctors who paved the way, those who fought for justice, and those who continue to shape the healthcare landscape. 

Drawing lessons from their stories, the presentation will reflect on the role of medical doctors in shaping the future of healthcare in South Africa, emphasizing the  importance of love for humanity in the practice of medicine. 

What is our role in shaping the future?

Ndivwe has been a member of the RuDASA Executive, President of SA HIV Clinicans Society , and a RuDASA Rural Doctor of the Year. Be inspired!

RuReSA Keynote: Kate Sherry

Kate Sherry is an occupational therapist working mainly in rural and remote communities, with a focus on new service development and system strengthening. She has worked in various parts of South Africa, Madagascar, Uganda, Cameroon, Kenya and the South Atlantic, and recently joined Libumba Inclusion Initiative in Eswatini. She was founding chair of RuReSA and continues on exco. She has postgraduate degrees in public health and a preference for far-flung jobs involving modest resources, unpredictable transport and good birding.

RuNurSA keynote:

Dr Nomawethu Mjekula, the 2025 RuNurSA Keynote speaker, will present on the  lived experiences of family caregivers to traumatic brain injury patients in the O R Tambo District of the EC post hospitalisation.

The transition following hospital discharge for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients places significant demands on family caregivers particularly in under resourced rural settings. Caring for a loved one post traumatic brain injury in the rural communities of the OR Tambo District Municipality presents a unique and often overwhelming set of challenges for family caregivers.

This presentation will delve into the lived experiences of these unsung heroes as revealed through qualitative research exploring their struggles with individual patients, transportation, finances; and the scarcity of essential health services and support networks. Understanding these realities is crucial. This study culminates in the development of a targeted support model and practical guidelines designed to empower these caregivers and foster a more sustainable and compassionate care environment. It is also aimed at improving the caregivers ‘ability to navigate the complexities of post TBI care in their unique context.

PACASA keynote:

Ms. Lumbani Tshotetsi is a distinguished Clinical Associate educator, epidemiologist, and global health leader, currently serving as the President of the International Academy of Physician Associate Educators (IAPAE). She is a faculty member at the University of Pretoria, where she has been instrumental in shaping the Clinical Associate Programme within the Department of Family Medicine since 2012. Originally from Malawi, Lumbani began her medical journey as a clinical officer, qualifying in 1997. She served in the Malawian public health sector as a clinical officer, head of department, and later as deputy district health officer, gaining first-hand experience in the challenges and triumphs of rural and underserved health systems. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Health, with a research focus on wearable non-invasive diagnostics and improving access to care for vulnerable populations. Lumbani is deeply passionate about interprofessional education, research, and capacity building. She is actively involved in African Virtual Interprofessional Education (AfriVIPE) initiatives and collaborates with both local and international physician associate networks like PACASA and the Global Association of Clinical Officers and Physician Associates (GACOPA) to advance the profession globally. Her work emphasises the impact of clinical associates in achieving universal health coverage, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Beyond her academic and leadership roles, Lumbani is a facilitator, mentor, and mother—not only to her twin daughters but also to the many students she has guided through the BCMP programme into the health workforce. Her legacy is one of compassionate leadership, academic excellence, and commitment to health equity.

Rural Mental Health keynote:

Associate Professor Suvira Ramlall Dr Suvira Ramlall, specialist psychiatrist, commenced private practice in September 2025 and is a professional consultant to the Life Path Hospital Group. She worked as the Clinical Head of Specialised Psychiatry at King Dinuzulu Hospital Complex, Durban, for 27 years. She is also an Associate Professor in Psychiatry at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN), where she was appointed as the first Academic Leader for the Registrar Training Programme (2018-2021). She has served on the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Technical Advisory Committee for Mental Health, is the immediate past President of the College of Psychiatrists, and a Member on the Education Committee of the Colleges of Medicine of SA. Over three decades of public service, she has worked closely with the district office, KZN Mental Health Directorate and the National Mental Health Directorate in policy development and implementation. With the South African Society of Psychiatrists, she served on the national executive of the Public Sector Sub-Committee and is currently a member of the Ethics, Peer Review and Disability Sub-Committee. During the pandemic, she was a member of the Technical Working Group for the Ministerial Advisory Committee for Covid 19. She has published in local and international journals, co-edited a South African textbook on Talk Therapy and released Inpowerment: Building Mental and Emotional Resilience, A workbook in 2023. She co-founded the KZN Mental Health Advocacy Group which hosts the Annual Mental Health Symposium in July and the Mental Health Walk and Fair in October, for the last 10 years.

The conference programme also includes a number of other regular features and activities, including:

A daily Key Note Speaker, each selected by one of the partners to represent their views on rural health and to inspire the delegates

Rural Seeds Workshop: bringing together students, young professionals, and rural veterans to discuss common issues in rural health care, share opinions on health policy, and learn how to cope while working rural

Profession-specific Indaba and organisation AGMs

Best practice workshops on rural related skills

Mental health conference track

An exhibition of up to date equipment and consumables from Health Companies and exhibition stands for RuDASA, RuReSA, PACASA, RuNurSA; as well as NGOs working in rural areas.

A Gala Dinner at which Awards are presented for: Rural Doctor of the Year, Rural Rehabilitation Worker of the Year, Rural Clinical Associate of the Year, and Rural Nurse of the Year.

Future Plans with discussions on how to move forward with the information gained from the conferenceÂ

Presentation of prizes for Best Oral Presenter, Best Workshop Presenter, Best Posters, Best Student Presentation. As well as for each professional category of presenter

We do post a draft programmes closer to the conference but to guide you when booking flights and accommodation: