Engen, Mondi and Sapref, in partnership with City Health, the eThekwini district of the Provincial Department of Health and community representatives, have embarked on a programme to improve education on primary health care at local clinics.
This followed an informal survey conducted by community members and sponsored by Engen in 2007 in clinics in Wentworth, Austerville, Lamontville and the Bluff. Recommendations from the survey included the provision of basic necessities to the clinics and the need for health education programmes in the community. In addressing the basic needs, the three companies have already installed items such as air conditioners and benches in these clinics.
The second phase of the project was to strengthen the capability of the clinics to deliver health education programmes in HIV and AIDS, TB, maternal and child health and chronic lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, as well as asthma. To facilitate these education programmes items such as TV screens, DVD players and DVDs, posters, leaflets, baby scales and body mass index scales have all been supplied to the clinics.
The recipient clinics are Merebank, Austerville, Umlazi D, Q, H and U21, Prince Mshiyeni Gateway, Bluff and Lamontville.
Speaking on behalf of industry, SAPREF Managing Director, Bart Voet, acknowledged the contributions of a range of stakeholders in implementing the project. “This is a perfect example of what can be achieved when communities, authorities and industries work together,” he said.
Voet said that communities were also benefiting from improved air quality in South Durban. The major industries had invested significantly in improving their environmental performance over a range of pollutants. For sulphur dioxide alone, SAPREF had achieved about a 70% reduction in emissions, Mondi about 77% and Engen about 76%.
In accepting the items from the three industries, the MEC for Health, Dr S Dhlomo said:
“I am very happy to see this joint venture between the private sector, the community and government and I would like to see more such partnerships.”
For further information contact :
Lindiwe Khuzwayo
Sustainable Development Manager
SAPREF
Telephone : 031 480 1750 / 082 883 6329
khuzwal@sapref.com