Background: Child-rearing remains a concern within our communities, especially because families of today lack primary parents due to multifaceted challenges such as working mothers, diseases and violence. Health-promoting school initiatives are necessary because they allow a multifaceted approach to child-rearing. They further provide a conducive environment for continued schoolchild-rearing moving from home to school.Objectives: This study promotes an integrated approach to school care using the African concept of Ubuntu – solidarity and sense of community – as a point of departure. The socio-ecological model was used, which includes the work of the school healthcare nurse in contributing to holistic health services.Method: An integrative review was conducted in January 2013, which included methodology studies, a theory review and a variety of studies related to school health. The studies were categorised according to school health, Ubuntu and the socio-ecological model.Findings: The role of school healthcare nurses entails acting as a liaison officer between a variety of stakeholders who work together to shape the future of children.Conclusion: Ubuntu, together with the socio-ecological model, can assist us to involve an entire community to raise children. This knowledge serves as a background to the planning of a school health programme. The role of the nurse in school health can also assist in collaborative efforts to formulate the programme and develop the competencies that will inform school health nurse training curricula.

Background. Traditional birth attendants have since ancient time provided care to pregnant women. As such, the collaboration between midwives and traditional birth attendant (TBAs) can be an essential effort towards the reduction of the maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rate especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper argues that the collaboration between traditional and formal health systems expands the reach and improves outcomes of community health care. The study is aimed at exploring the traditional birth attendants views on collaboration with midwives for maternal health care services at selected rural communities in South Africa (SA). Methods. The study was conducted in two rural communities in Tshwane and Johannesburg metropolitan districts from 15 June to 31 October 2021. The study followed the qualitative explorative and descriptive research design. The sampling technique was nonprobability purposive, and snowballing technique was also used to sample the key informants who are the traditional birth attendants also known as traditional healers and who provide maternal health care services in the respective communities. The access to these participants was through the gatekeepers, the Traditional Health Organisation Council (THO) council. Data collection was through semistructured in-depth interviews. Data were analysed thematically through the eight steps of Tesch. Results. Five main themes were identified which included the recognition of traditional birth attendants as enablers of collaboration, the envisaged value of the collaboration, processes required to foster collaboration, repositioning for new roles, and barriers to collaboration. Conclusion. The TBAs are ready to collaborate with the formal health care system, and all they require is for their services to maternal health care to be recognised and acknowledged.

Aim: In this paper, we critically discuss the ethics of nurses' choice to strike during the COVID‐19 pandemic, considering legal and ethical arguments, overlaying the Ubuntu philosophy, an African ethic.Background: The recent unprecedented coronavirus disease pandemic and the increased reports on the absence of personal protective equipment in South Africa places many health workers' lives at risk. Nurses spend most of their time with patients, which exposes them to fatal risks as they work in unsafe environments.Research Methods: Exploratory literature review was conducted using Pubmed, CINAHL, Google Scholar and Science Direct) and law cases repository.Findings: Nurses thus may be justified in striking to protect their safety. State healthcare entities are obliged to ensure safety and protect the health of professionals during the pandemic. According to their Code of Practice and Pledge of Service, they are ethically obliged to put patients first, and as a result, they are legally barred from engaging in strike action.Conclusion: We conclude that there may be constitutional human rights arguments to support strike action. We also find that ethical principles alone do not provide clear direction to guide nurses in making justified and ethical decisions regarding service provision in an environment threatening to compromise their safety.

Background: Participation of male partners in antenatal care (ANC) is a complicated process that involves social and behavioural transformation. It necessitates that males take a more active part in reproductive health. Men’s participation in prenatal care has been linked to beneficial health outcomes such as enhanced maternal health outcomes across the world. However, culture has been identified as a barrier to male partners’ participation in prenatal care. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore and describe the cultural barriers to male partner involvement in ANC. Setting: The study focussed on selected clinics and hospitals under Vhembe District, Limpopo province. Methods: Qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research design was used in this study. Qualitative data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). A thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the collected data from semi-structured interviews and FGDs. Results: The findings revealed three themes: cultural beliefs and practices that affect male partners’ involvement in ANC; gender-related barriers that affect male partners’ involvement in ANC; and socioeconomic barriers to male partners’ involvement in ANC. Conclusion: The study’s findings revealed that certain cultural beliefs and practices are a stumbling block to male partners’ involvement in antenatal healthcare. Contribution: Culturally based developed strategy might help in improving the knowledge and practices of male partners in ANC.