Republic of South Africa: Policies and Politics Guide Nurses’ Application of Genetic Technology in Public Health Settings

Abstract

This article briefly refers to the impact of political and policy changes that have affected genetic services in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) since 1994’s first democratic elections brought the African National Congress to power. Genetic services were relocated to the field of primary health care services. During 2001 the National Department of Health of the RSA published guidelines for enhancing genetic services in this country. The most prevalent genetic conditions to be managed in the RSA include fetal alcohol syndrome, Down syndrome, neural tube defects, and HIV/AIDS. Nurses can make major contributions toward the effective management of all these genetic conditions and birth defects provided that they acquire sufficient knowledge and skills and that they have adequate referral systems and access to appropriate genetic technology in public health settings.

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