Mobile health clinics to serve communities

THE SISHEN Iron Ore Company Community Development Trust (SIOC-CDT) has expanded the number of its mobile clinics offering free health-care services to beneficiary communities in the Northern Cape and Limpopo.

The CEO of SIOC-CDT, Anita Loots, said the trust had decided to increase the “Re a Fola” (We are getting healed) initiative in July in order to reach more patients in remote areas.

The air-conditioned units also have a solar back-up generator and are equipped with high-speed internet and water tanks.

“GUUD Wellness, the company appointed to operate the mobile units, completed the conversion of three general health vehicles to serve as mobile clinics for primary health care. The remaining three units comprise of two specialist units for oral health and sonography and a standby vehicle for use when any of the other vehicles are in maintenance,” Loots said.

She noted that the mobile clinic services operated in the John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) District, Tsantsabane and Thabazimbi local municipal areas, providing primary health care services.

“Services are provided by a permanent professional nurse, optometrist, audiologist and oral hygienist. It also had a sessional medical doctor and dentist, rendering services for 60 hours per month.

“While the project has successfully reached over 33,128 people, we have identified that the clinic’s two-month rotation per region limited access and follow-up opportunities. Furthermore, it did not provide much needed specialised services, including those required by pregnant mothers.”

Loots stated that the mobile clinics would provide access to community members who did not have access to basic essential health care and were unable to travel long distances due to geographic and socio-economic factors.

“We will now have dedicated units offering optometry, primary health care, oral health, sonography and audiology free of charge to everyone. Additionally, there will be a full-time medical officer rotating among the five beneficiary areas to ensure consistent coverage and specialised care.”

She added that they would work in collaboration with the Northern Cape and Limpopo departments of Health.

The service delivery manager of GUUD Wellness, Precious Ndlovu, said the vehicles experienced periodic interruptions to service due to maintenance.

“Navigating dirt roads in remote areas is not without dust and vibration issues, as well as overall vehicle maintenance challenges. We were forced to take the buses off the road for servicing more often than we would have liked.”

Business development partner/GUUD Joanne Rowland said they expected to reach more than 80,000 people over the next three years.

“Due to both the remote and vast nature of their beneficiary communities, SIOC-CDT is also utilising tele-health solutions in the roll-out of this phase of the project. This is made possible through the use of state-of-the-art equipment and top-end technology.”

She added that this would enable prescription lenses to be cut in the vehicle.

“This fully comprehensive solution is a new product in the global health market.”