September 2020.

A two-day women’s health drive, held in Loeriesfontein last week, focused on screening and early detection health education for eighty community members. The event was an ideal opportunity to educate women on key health issues and served as a good example of how the private sector can support a health outcomes, by assisting the public sector in delivering primary healthcare, particularly in rural areas where access to doctors and healthcare is sometimes limited.

‘We broadly educated women about COVID-19, teaching them how to boost their immunity,” said Sister Basson, from the Revival Health Clinic, who also explained that full body scans, provided at the event, helped the health care practitioners to view the functionality of organs as well as their immunity, which is very important at this stage.

Whilst some of these services are available locally, specialised body scans and mammograms require women to travel long distances just to reach their nearest clinic or hospital to access these screenings. Recognising this and the fact that whilst scans may not prevent illnesses such as breast cancer, early detection reduces fatalities, which is why the Loeriesfontein and Khobab Wind Farms fund this as part of their community development programme.

“Many women go to the hospital in Vredendal, however, as a private healthcare facility the costs are prohibitive, so this annual health event means that the service is right on their door step and free of charge,” explained Vanessa Fredericks, Economic Development Manager for Loeriesfontein Wind Farm and Khobab Wind Farm.

Working in collaboration with the Revival Clinic and the Department of Health’s Sister Grobbelaar and her team, the event was staggered to ensure that overcrowding was avoided, and social distancing protocols adhered to. Each attendee completed a questionnaire to detect COVID symptoms, before being admitted into the venue and having the assessments undertaken. The tests included full body scans; blood pressure and balancing of blood pressure; mammograms; multifunctional blood circulation; as well as testing of temperatures, as a COVID-19 prevention.

“We recognise that women have unique wellness requirements. We wish to support and educate women about their health, especially the recognition and early indication of illnesses, as a preventative measure,” added Fredericks.

One in 28 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. So, having access to mammogram screening is a significant service. This is the second year that the event has taken place, incorporating the Community Healthcare Clinic, which is currently a quarantine site for COVID-19 patients.