Province gets healthcare rolling

Cape Town-131125- Minister Donald Grant and Minister Theuns Botha were present at the Lentegeur Hostpital in Mitchell's Plain today for the media briefing on the school mobile clinics which will be operational and serving the youth at their schools-In pic-Dentist Clive Cornelius and 6 year old Avuzwa Tutu-Reporter-Neo-Photographer-Tracey Adams

Cape Town-131125- Minister Donald Grant and Minister Theuns Botha were present at the Lentegeur Hostpital in Mitchell's Plain today for the media briefing on the school mobile clinics which will be operational and serving the youth at their schools-In pic-Dentist Clive Cornelius and 6 year old Avuzwa Tutu-Reporter-Neo-Photographer-Tracey Adams

Published Nov 26, 2013

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Cape Town - Hundreds of young children from rural and poor schools in the Western Cape will have health services on their doorstep following the launch of a mobile clinic service to check teeth, hearing and vision, among other health issues.

The R24-million project, to be rolled out by the provincial education and health departments early next year, will not only provide preventative care, but it is hoped it will significantly reduce absenteeism owing to ill-health.

Grades R and 1 children in the Eden District, Central Karoo, West Coast and parts of the city will benefit from the Wellness Mobile Service.

Dr Beth Engelbrecht, deputy director general, chief of operations in the provincial health department, said the five mobile units with hi-tech medical equipment would extract teeth, provide spectacles, and test for serious diseases such as tuberculosis as well as mental health problems.

The service would augment the integrated school health programme running in other parts of the province including the Eden district.

Engelbrecht said some schools already received primary health care services through visits from nurses, but it would be the first time mobile units would provide the service.

At the launch of the service on Monday, Education MEC Donald Grant said the service would also help protect teaching and learning time, as when pupils had to stay in bed or visit a clinic or doctor, “the flow” of the curriculum was disrupted because teachers had to repeat work.

“The screening tests are also important as they will identify if a child has any disabilities or challenges that may have not been diagnosed. These challenges could be limiting their school performance,” he said.

Health MEC Theuns Botha said while the project would initially be run by the provincial government, there were negotiations to involve the private sector to provide more hi-tech units. The province needed 13 units. “We are negotiating with partners like Nedbank and Eskom which already run such services in other provinces.” - Cape Argus

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