​A group of Matie Community Service (MCS) student volunteers from the Stellenbosch University Primary Health Care Programme hosted a health promotion day at the Kalkfontein Community Hall on Saturday 26 May.

The day was aimed at identifying the symptoms of health issues such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, and providing advice to local residents on health issues.

TygerBurger, a weekly community newspaper, published this article covering the event.

The event, which was led and co-ordinated by Mrs Avril Whate, a senior project manager at Primary Health Care at Tygerberg, is part of the MCS Primary Health Care programme. This programme provides a holistic after-hour and primary healthcare service to certain communities of the Western Cape who have limited access to healthcare.

The goals of the programme are to:

• promote holistic and integrative management;
• provide health promotion and health education to clients;
• promote the prevention of diseases through appropriate screening;
• provide training to student volunteers;
• create a platform for academic support and development;
• provide a platform for student and student leadership development; and
• promote the development of community volunteers.

“Our mission is to interact with communities in their specific context through the provision of our services and healthcare education in order to empower these communities to improve and maintain their own development and well-being, thereby creating the hope of a sustainable future," said Mrs Whate.  

The initiative also contributes towards the professional development of students and improves their clinical skills by providing additional training. The students also have the opportunity to spend time with patients and listen to their stories, which contributes positively to the training of undergraduate health professionals.

For more information regarding the programme and clinic dates, please contact Mrs Whate at acw@sun.ac.za.