EC nurse raises funds to buy clinic thermometers
In a bid to reduce the chances of his patients contracting Covid19, a staff nurse took it upon himself to source funds from an NGO to buy digital thermometers for two clinics in Alice.
Zuko Giyose started his nursing job at the Victoria Gateway Clinic in Alice three months ago.
He feared patients would infect each other with the thermometer, which uses the auxiliary method, meaning it is placed under a person’s arm.
He said the non-contact infrared digital thermometers were much more hygienic.
Through a donation from NGO Community Chest Cape Town, Giyose bought two digital thermometers, one for Victoria Gateway Clinic and one for the War Memorial Clinic.
Through her spokesperson Judy Ngoloyi, health MEC Sindiswa Gomba said she welcomed the gesture.
Before the donation, the two government healthcare centres had only one thermometer between them, delaying the screening process.
Giyose said: “We had to place that thermometer in each person’s armpit and I realised that some patients were not hygienic enough to share that thermometer. Also it was taking a long time and causing long queues.
“We are screening elderly people, pregnant women and children.
“We all know that Covid-19 can survive on your clothes and body, so we had to find a way to get the thermometers we needed.”
Giyose, who is also a rights activist with Sisonke LGBTI, said he approached Lorenzo Davids, CEO of Community Chest Cape Town, who provided him with the funds to buy the thermometers.
“I have a long working relationship with the guys at Community Chest and I approached them to help us raise funds to buy these thermometers.
“They are people who advocate for change and they always want to assist people.
“I guess that’s why they came to the party and helped us.
“The [health] department is struggling and we as nurses want to help where we can.”
He said the thermometers had already made a difference at the clinics.
“Everyone is scanned within a short space of time. There are no long queues like before.
“Everything is smooth now and the risk of people infecting others with a thermometer is gone.”
Ngoloyi said Gomba was “extremely pleased” with the initiative by Giyose, who had displayed patriotism as the country battled with Covid-19.
“Working together with communities and this calibre of people will no doubt boost the government’s effort to fight the pandemic tooth and nail.
“We call on other people to emulate this cadre in health,” Ngoloyi said.