Health donations to help
The Provincial Department of Health hosted an official handing over of medical equipment which included a colposcope and medical basins.A colposcope is a machine that closely examines a woman's cervix for any kinds of diseases or infections. This ma- chine is also used to determine the amount of damage done to rape victims by the person that rapes them.
The Member of the Executive committee, (MEC), Dr Pumza Dyantyi was present to hand over the machines to Settlers Hospital and says that their department is handing out a total of 15 colposcopes to hospitals in the Eastern Cape.
“We have spent R4 million for these machines as a department as they are dual purpose machines and are diagnostic machines,” she said.
She also encouraged people to have pap smear tests as it was important to reduce the risk of cancer. Department of Education: Senior Education Specialist in HIV/AIDS Programmes in the Grahamstown District, Lumka Languza said that their department was honoured to be invited to this event at this very significant period of 16 days of activism against women and children.
“Most of our schools and communities are challenged by a high rate of rape, alcohol and substance abuse so the department adopts this campaign and it’s intervention strategies,” she said. Languza also said her department will continue to raise awareness among schools and their communities about the negative impact that violence and crime has, especially on women and children. “It is our mandate and obligation to work together as stakeholders within and outside the department of education to provide safety for our children, including protection against violence,”she added.
Employees from the health department performing a traditional dance for the people who were attending the hand over at Indoor Sports Centre.