Page 112 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 8

Christian Psychology alive

Keith Michael Keith Michael,

Christian Networking Dr., Chairper-
son of Christi-
Alliance for Healthcare in an Networking

South Africa Alliance for
Healthcare

Background
The Christian Networking Alliance for Health-
care was formed after the historic Christian
Healthcare Networking Conference, which was
held in September 2008. The conference was at- keithmichael@telkomsa.net
tended by all the main Health Care Christian
organisations in South Africa. For the first time in our country’s history, Chri-
The theme of the conference was: Christ, our stian Health Organizations are now formally
Hope in Healthcare. committed to collaborate with each other in
This conference was held in response to a reali- providing a Biblically based voice to the na-
zation among Christians in the health fields that tion on health issues as well as embarking on
the Christian influence in health and healthcare other joint processes to extend the Kingdom of
in South Africa had significantly declined over God in the health environment and the broader
the previous decade. This decline had contri- Body of Christ.
buted to the general decline in healthcare in the
country with the resulting vicious cycle of pa- A number of Christian organizations are cur-
tient dissatisfaction, negligence, lawsuits, staff rently involved in the Alliance, who has been
demoralization and emigration. The decline was meeting on a 2-3 monthly basis since its inau-
perceived to pertain to all aspects of healthcare, guration in 2008. The focus of the meetings is to
such as private and public care, university and discuss and pray about healthcare matters rela-
college training, medicine and nursing aspects, ted to national interest.
as well as paramedical services. There was also
a perception that there was no united Christian The organisations comprise of Hospivision
voice to be heard in a country, which is facing South Africa, represented by Rev dr. Andre de
a heavy burden in lifestyle, moral and ethically la Porte. This is an organisation working in hos-
related health issues and diseases. pitals serving terminal ill patients and provide
This raised the concern, which is still a perti- bereavement and trauma counselling to pati-
nent concern that healthcare in South Africa ents and their families; Christian Medical Fel-
had lost its way and that caring, compassion lowship, represented by Drs M Sobekwa and M
and competence are deteriorating in all sectors Bac; Healthcare Christian Fellowship, represen-
of healthcare. ted by Dr Keith Michael (medical doctor) and
Erica Grunewald (a qualified nurse); The Insti-
As a result, it was agreed by the leaders of the tute of Christian Psychology ( a training insti-
healthcare organizations present, that the Chri- tutions providing short courses and degrees in
stian healthcare organizations in South Africa Christian counselling and Christian psychothe-
should amalgamate into one umbrella organi- rapy), represented by Prof dr. Nicolene Joubert
zation, the Christian Networking Alliance for (a registered psychologist), Private Healthcare
Healthcare. The mission being to unite Christi- South Africa, represented by Dr Tommy Gray,
ans in healthcare into a single voice, represen- a medical doctor that represent Private Hos-
ting common concerns across all spectrums of pitals, Community Health Evangelism (CHE),
healthcare. represented by Mr Kevin Pipper; the National

111