About AHP
Our Board
AHP is a joint venture between Foundation for Professional Development (Pty) Ltd and Rural Health Initiative of the South African Academy of Family Physicians Trust. Each joint venture partner nominates two members to AHP's advisory board. The board is responsible for:
- Approving the project strategic direction
- Reviewing the projects purpose, vision and values on an annual basis
- Reviewing project outcomes on a quarterly basis against progress indicators
- Reviewing results annually
- Reporting back to their respective principals (FPD and RHI)
Dr Gustaaf Wolvaart
Managing Director Foundation for Professional Development
Dr Gustaaf Wolvaardt holds a Bachelors Degree in Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) (1983), a Masters Degree in Internal Medicine (M.Med) (1990) and a post graduate qualification in Higher Education (PGCHE) (2008) from the University of Pretoria. He is also a Fellow of the College of Physicians of South Africa and completed the Manchester Business School Advanced Management Programme in 1998.
In 1991 he left a full time academic medical career when he accepted the position as South Africa’s first Health Attaché based at the South African Permanent Mission in Geneva. His mandate was to re-establishing technical cooperation between the South African health sector and the international community in Europe as South Africa moved to democracy. In this position he represented South Africa at the WHO, UNAIDS, UNESCO and other United Nations Organizations. During this period he was elected as the Interim Chairman of the UNAIDS Governing Board for its 3rd session (1995) and as Chairman of the African Health Liaison Committee in Geneva (1995 – 1996).
In 1996 he initiated an international campaign on behalf of the South African Ministry of Health that resulted in violence being declared a public health priority by WHO. As Health Attaché he also actively promoted scientific and technical cooperation through the mobilization of research funding and through establishing various WHO Collaboration Centers in South Africa.
On returning to SA in 1996 he joined the South African Medical Association as Healthcare Executive, where he initiated a number of public health projects and successfully secured the bid to host the XIII International AIDS Conference in South Africa in 2000. He also chaired the Conference Organizing Committee acting as project manager for this 13 000 delegate conference which at that time was the largest health conference held in Africa. Since then he has initiated a number of health related conferences in South Africa.
In 1997 he was appointed as the founding Managing Director of the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD), a private institution of higher education focussing on promoting transformation through education research and community development.(www.foundation.co.za) FPD annually provides management and professional skills development courses to approximately 23 000 students across Africa, organizes various national and international conferences and has a number of capacity development projects that includes a centre of academic excellence in Infectious Diseases, promoting Nursing Leadership and supporting AIDS and TB treatment, care and support. FPD currently supports more than 100 000 ART patients. FPD also has a number of novel capacity development projects focusing on amongst others the recruitment of international health care professionals to work in South Africa, developing grass roots NGO’s and providing Masters Degree Fellows to AIDS service organizations.
Dr Wolvaardt serves on the Board of Directors of the South African Institute for Health Care Managers, Dira Sengwe Conferences, Right to Care and Aids Accountability International. He has published a number of articles on international health and health management issues and advises a number of international clients on international health issues from time to time. In 2007 he was recognized a one of the 25 most influential South African health care leaders by the South African Institute of Health Care Managers
Dr Clarence Mini
Chairman
Very often governments have very grand plans with fantastic timelines but soon after the publication of the plans they realize that they need an extra hand to make things happen. With my experience of many years in non-profit and philanthropic work I agreed to lend my hand to this wonderful non-governmental organization that is helping to place healthcare professionals in facilities around the country. The understaffing of rural areas of our country is legend and in helping to correct that we work with our executive staff to make sure that we try and correct that . In this endevour we work hand-in-hand with our government and the very supportive donors that understand our mission.
