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South Africa: Western Cape Health Facilities Receive a Boost |
| Source: |
SA - the Good News via SAPA |
| Source Date: |
Thursday, November 29, 2012 |
| Country: |
South Africa |
| Created: |
Nov 29, 2012 |
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The Westfleur Hospital, which services areas including Atlantis, Witsand, Mamre, Pella, Melkbos, Frankdale, Campwil, Philadelphia and surrounding farms currently only has 31 beds. The hospital was established in 1977 in the then newly built town of Atlantis and initially functioned as a day hospital without a resident doctor. The hospital has an 18 bed ward and a maternity unit with nine beds.
Heideveld is another clinic feeling the strain. Despite operating in an old building in desperate need of an upgrade and being inundated with hundreds of patients the Heideveld community district clinic (CDC) has still managed to enroll more than 300 new patients in its care over the past twelve months. Two years ago, the Heideveld CDC began operating as an ARV service station after GF Jooste Hospital transferred all its patients there. Since then there has been a need for more space to conduct consultations for the ARV patients.
Westfleur and Heideveld are the new beneficiaries of the Eskom Development Foundation. The facilities will receive paediatric surgery as well as general medical equipment.
"With additional space and medical equipment, the health practitioners at these facilities will be able to treat more patients, save more lives and be able to detect the ever growing problem of HIV/Aids and TB more efficiently.
"The Foundation understands that the provision of quality healthcare in South Africa is impeded by many historical, social and economic circumstances. This is why, in line with our objective of improving people's quality of life, the Foundation has contributed to lifesaving healthcare by funding lifesaving medical equipment and upgrading of facilities for various clinics across South Africa," says CEO of the Foundation, Haylene Liberty.
SAME has indicated that the upgrade of these facilities will encourage community confidence in these local hospitals. Now children's surgery and other general duties can be done locally without them being turned away or referred to other hospitals.
Heideveld and Westfleur are receiving this support as a result of the Foundation's partnership with SAME's Red Ribbon Campaign which aims to urge companies to get actively involved and take responsibility for educating their staff on HIV/Aids and TB. Another focus of the campaign is identifying community clinics with high HIV/TB rates which have been declared ART (antiretroviral therapy) sites but do not have the infrastructure or medical equipment to deliver the service.
Eskom's mandate is not just about keeping the lights on - they are dedicated to improving the lives of the people in the communities in which they operate. To this end, the Eskom Development Foundation NPC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, is responsible for the execution of Eskom's corporate social investment initiatives.
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South Africa: Western Cape Health Facilities Receive a Boost After overcoming numerous challenges two Western Cape health facilities will soon be able to provide better quality healthcare to the communities they service The South African Medical and Education Foundation SAME says the Western Cape's premier health provision status has led to an influx of citizens coming to the province to either settle in informal settlements or just for health care This coupled with poverty are contributing factors to growing health problems and the deterioration of infrastructure and equipment at clinics like the Westfleur Hospital
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