Your health is your responsibility. One can work with health-care workers to improve services and well-being of your community by joining the local clinic’s committee, or the hospital’s board.
The Western Cape Government Department of Health and Wellness has established several Clinic Committees and Hospital Boards to create a platform for community members to proactively volunteer.
As a member of a clinic committee or hospital board one can:V Request feedback on what is being done to improve the quality of service at the facilityV Voice one’s community’s health-care needs, concerns and complaintsV Make recommendations or give feedback on service delivery gaps one has identifiedV Support the facility with activities to benefit the facility, eg fundraisingV Mobilise the community to support wellness initiativesV Participate in meetings and consultations.
The chairperson of the Idas Valley Clinic Committee, Maghmoed Kara, says as a community activist this committee is exactly the platform locals such as he can use to lobby for change. He says being on the committee has helped him gain insight into systems such as the basis on which managers can motivate for additional posts/staff at facilities, and he could share the information with the community.
One of the concerns the Idas Valley Clinic Committee is addressing is the danger of people (patients) crossing a busy road to get to the clinic’s gate, and they are working towards putting up a canopy outside the clinic to shelter patients from weather conditions.
In the Cape Winelands District there are 30 active Clinic Committees/Hospital Boards.
The department would like to further increase its engagement with communities and asks that especially people living in Montagu, McGregor, Bonnievale, Gouda and Rawsonville volunteer for service on their healthcare facilities’ committee/board. Residents in this or other areas of the Breede Valley, Drakentein, Langeberg, Stellenbosch or Witzenberg who would like to volunteer can contact the facility for more information.
