Just the medicine for Mandela Day
Hospitals open doors in spirit of Madiba
FREE healthcare was top of the agenda for the Clinix Health Group which carried out medical procedures free of charge as part of their Mandela Day initiative.
Yesterday, the private hospital group opened its doors and theatres to some of the most impoverished people in need of medical treatment.
Clinix marketing consultant Zinhle Mthembu said the project was carried out in partnership with specialists, pathologists and radiologists.
Mthembu added that, in the spirit of Mandela month, the group would host open days at all their acute hospital facilities on Saturday, Tuesday and July 29.
“The aim is to perform a minimum of 67 procedures as part of the Mandela Month celebrations.”
Mthembu added that since the theme for the month was “Take Action, Inspire Change”, their mandate was to deliver affordable, quality and accessible healthcare to the disadvantaged.
She said those selected for the 67 procedures had consultations and their treatment was then confirmed.
The initiative kicked off on Saturday with cataract removals at the Clinix NalediNkanyezi Private Hospital in the Vaal, followed by circumcisions and prostate biopsies at the Clinix Tshepo-Themba Private Hospital yesterday.
One of the beneficiaries, Lesego Ntswakai, had brought her two sons to the TshepoThemba for circumcision.
Ntswakai would not have been able to afford the cost for the procedure and would have had to then take them to a public hospital.
“We would have waited in long queues and wouldn’t have been given a class on how to take care of the wounds. The staff (here) treated me as if I had paid them.”
She learnt about the open day through her child’s crèche.
“The treatment from the staff is overwhelming and I want to thank them,” she said.
Ntswakai added that both of her sons, aged 17 and four, were circumcised.
Thandeka Mokgosi’s twoyear-old son was also selected for circumcision.
The delighted mother said the staff were really helpful and the service was exceptional.
Both moms were given lessons on how to take care of their children’s wounds.
Dr Bongani Mbatha and Dr Morris Choke, surgeons at Clonix Tshepo-Themba Private Hospital, said that they had chosen circumcision as their way of trying to lower the risk of HIV infections.
Mbatha said he had started operating at 6am and had operated on 14 patients.
All procedures were successful, he added.
The doctors said they hoped to do more in giving back to community this month and other operations would be scheduled in other Clinix facilities.