Greytown Hospital Kept Open with Help of Umvoti AIDS Centre Volunteers

Source : http://www.aids.org.za/news.htm?more=73

Amber Bechtel

The South African national public service sector strike began on 11 June and lasted for almost 3 weeks. Many essential service staff opted to stay away from work as negotiations on salary increases dragged on between union and government officials. The absence of public service workers during this period resulted in the closure of institutions such as schools, clinics and hospitals leaving many people in need of care across the country.

On 14 June, AFSA partner Umvoti AIDS Centre (UAC) in Greytown Kwa-zulu Natal, received a call for help from the District Health Department Manager, Jabulani Mndebele. He requested the assistance of UAC volunteer caregivers to fill-in for striking public service staff at Greytown Hospital. According to Mamsie Mkhize, UAC Home Based Care Manager, the organization was contacted because its home based care workers are, “becoming famous for serving the whole district.”

Umvoti AIDS Centre is active in providing care and support to PLWHA in a wide geographic area in the heart of Kwa-Zulu Natal province. Currently their services are available in much of Umzinyathi, a rural district with a population of 483,573 and high rates of HIV infection. Eighty eight percent (88%) of the population of Umzinyathi is uninsured and thus relies on the public health services for health care. Umvoti AIDS Centre’s home based care programme is respected for its quality of care, and because caregivers have proven they can be trusted to keep their clients’ HIV status confidential.

At 7:00pm, only a few hours after receiving the Health Department’s call for aid, Mamsie and UAC Social Worker, Thembile, had assembled 17 dedicated volunteers at the organization’s office. After their security had been guaranteed at Greytown Hospital (Mamsie feared retaliation from striking workers) the volunteers proceeded there.

Once inside they helped attend to patients’ needs for bathing, feeding and linen-changing. Nurses from the local private hospital, also working in a volunteer capacity, supervised the UAC caregivers who performed additional duties as instructed. The following day, a fresh shift of 25 UAC volunteers worked in the hospital.

When asked of the volunteers’ reaction to their experience keeping hospital doors open Mamsie said, “They thoroughly enjoyed helping the sick people. They’re just born like that! All of them are very willing to care for the sick – and they’re hard workers!” She further expressed her gratitude to all of the volunteer caregivers, and her own pride from being part of the response.

The support UAC received from Mndebele and his staff at the District Health Office should be noted. The District Coordinator for Home Based Care formally thanked the Umvoti Centre volunteers at their recent monthly meeting. Volunteers coming from distant rural areas to lend their assistance were accommodated at Lotgrey Bed and Breakfast.

The events which occurred in Greytown during the public service strike highlight the importance of volunteer caregivers in providing basic primary healthcare to people in under-resourced areas across South Africa. Umvoti AIDS Centre and the AIDS Foundation encourage government to consider formally recognizing the knowledge and dedication of these community health workers by creating formal employment opportunities for them within the public healthcare system.

The AIDS Foundation of South Africa offers our thanks to Umvoti AIDS Centre, Mamsie Mhkize and all of the volunteer health workers who gave their time to help patients during the strike.

Kwa-zulu Natal Provincial Department of Health, “Umzinyathi Health District.” Available: http://www.kznhealth.gov.za/umzinyathi.htm.