August 2019

A women’s focused health drive, commemorating Women’s Month, was held in Loeriesfontein last week, with a keen focus on screening and early detection which sometimes is the difference between life and death.

“Unlike their urban counterparts, women in rural and peri-urban areas sometimes have to travel long distances just to reach their nearest clinic or hospital to access mammogram screenings, and whilst mammograms don’t prevent breast cancer, early detection reduces fatalities,” explained Vanessa Fredericks, Economic Development Manager for Loeriesfontein Wind Farm and Khobab Wind Farm.

For ladies’ resident in Loeriesfontein, obtaining a mammogram entails hours of travel with associated costs. One in 28 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. So, having access to mammogram screening is a significant service.

The women’s health and wellness initiative, held in the remote Northern Cape town of Loeriesfontein, was a joint effort funded by Khobab Wind Farm, in collaboration with the Department of Health. The full-day event successfully conducted essential health tests and screenings for sixty women from within the Loeriesfontein community. The event was a good example of how the private sector can help build capacity by assisting the public sector in delivering primary healthcare in remote areas of the country.

The Revival Clinic and the Department of Health provided a range of wellness health services for Loeriesfontein residents including electronic Pap smears and mammograms, multifunctional head examinations, multifunctional blood circulation, eye-care, HIV, blood pressure and blood sugar tests in addition to other full body examinations.

“Women are the backbone of the communities, so helping to take care of their health is essential and fits into our focus on the role that women hold in our society and especially their unique wellness requirements,” added Fredericks.

Other health specialists invited by the Department of Health on the day, included a speech therapist, physiotherapist, dietitian and an occupational therapist.