Samsung Electronics Africa brought two of its Solar Powered Health Centres to Cosmo City yesterday.
This is in line with the consumer electronics brand's drive to reach one million South Africans with its mobile healthcare offerings by 2015 and to positively impact the lives of five million people in Africa by 2015.
Stationed next to Oasis Itsoseng Community Clinic, the mobile eye, ear, blood, dental and pre- and post-natal clinic was manned by doctors from the University of Limpopo's Medunsa Campus, who offered healthcare services to community members. As part of Samsung's annual "Employee Volunteer Programme", Samsung staff members were on hand to assist with the logistics and collecting of patient information.
According to Kea' Modimoeng, public affairs and common shared value manager at Samsung Electronics Africa, the Solar Powered Health Centre concept was first unveiled in March at Samsung Africa Forum, in Cape Town, and the visit to Cosmo City marks the first time it has been made accessible to the public. The "Mother and Child" unit is a new addition to the solar-powered clinic, and caters specifically to mothers and their babies.
"To ensure sustainability and continuity, we have partnered with NGOs, universities and local government to make the project a success," noted Modimoeng.
The mobile units, which are mounted on trucks, are designed for use in rural and underserviced areas. The plan is for the trucks to travel around the country based on a roster system, says Modimoeng, noting that the mobile aspect of the clinics makes it viable for the services to easily move from one area to the next.
In the early phases, they are looking to generate data about the shortcomings of communities in order to properly cater to their needs, Modimoeng said. The facilities will provide a range of medical services to the public, with a focus on screening for ailments like diabetes, high blood pressure, tooth decay and cataracts. "The idea is to cultivate a culture of proactive healthcare."
For Nicole Morrison, manager of the Oasis Itsoseng Community Clinic, this kind of mobile facility will provide much-needed medical care to community members, who commonly travel far distances to access certain medical facilities that are not available at the local clinic.
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