Imtiaz Sooliman – Gift of the Givers Assisting community medical services

			Two of the givers is back in those
refire today to provide medical
		

			care. The aid organization was in
the small town earlier this year
		

			when it noted the need for help.
Today, they are providing a
		

			diverse team to see to the medical
needs of the people. Our reporter
		

			Monique motlock has more on that
story,
		

			so we are still here in toast
River, where gift of the givers
		

			has been helping the residents,
not only of toast river, but also
		

			surrounding towns like Mikey
spontane and lanesburg. We've
		

			spoken to many of the residents,
who say they were desperately
		

			waiting for gift of the givers to
come to their town, but today they
		

			have the opportunity to be here.
Today, you can hear where we are
		

			right now. We are basically in the
hub of the dentist city and the
		

			the medical staff, where they have
been doing extractions, they've
		

			been taking people's vitals. And
I'm joined here by two very
		

			special people. I'm going to lead
you to the introduction, sir, you
		

			are a liar and professor, just
tell your viewers who you are and
		

			what brings you here today.
		

			Hello. It's a pleasure to be here.
My name is Rogan Eastman. I'm a
		

			Professor of Neurology at critters
care hospital, University of Cape
		

			Town, and it's the first time I've
been to give to the givers clinic
		

			like this. It's really
heartwarming all around me. There
		

			are people working hard and lots
of patience. There's screams and
		

			shouts and a lot of enjoyment
going on. And I'm joined by my
		

			colleague here, Professor Lawrence
Tucker,
		

			hello, hello. Yes, so I'm also a
neurologist and I'm we decided to
		

			come out here to show our support
and show the support that we have
		

			as academics for the absolutely
basic
		

			work that the gift of the givers
are doing fantastic work, and as
		

			you can see by the spread of
expertise that is here that
		

			they're Providing a fantastic
service to a community that
		

			desperately needs it, and perhaps
coming from the public health
		

			sector. Obviously, what we see in
our metros like City of Cape Town,
		

			is a lot different to what we see
in rural areas like those river
		

			the need is great, as we heard
from Doctor Suliman earlier,
		

			because of what they saw in
February, the influx of people
		

			that arrived here for help, they
decided to bring an even bigger
		

			team, a more expanded team of
specialists, from gynecologists to
		

			optometrists. Do you find that the
the need in rural communities can
		

			be addressed adequately by by
government or or is it a whole of
		

			society approach? Is it more
complex than just pumping doctors
		

			into areas like this, pumping
resources? Well, I think it's fair
		

			to say the gift of the givers has
shown that with passion and little
		

			else, and the support of of the of
the medical community and and and
		

			our colleagues, a lot can be done.
A huge amount can be done and and
		

			in fact, what they are doing,
quite clearly, is is, is showing
		

			government that that it's quite
possible to provide an excellent
		

			service at not too much cost. You
were talking about the difference
		

			in the health service delivery in
our cities and now our rural
		

			areas, there is a difference that
people in our cities who, of
		

			course, do need care, but it's an
order of magnitude worse in the in
		

			these little towns where where
there's been an exodus of medical
		

			expertise over the years. So I
think the main thing that that
		

			that gift of given has shown us is
that it can be done and it can
		

			come quite easily. They came at
the first time, as you said, and
		

			identified problems. They serviced
the community, and then they came
		

			back having learnt what, what,
what they needed to do. So with
		

			optometrists and dentists this
time in strong numbers, they're
		

			making a huge impact. And of
course, government can learn from
		

			that professor. Last question to
you,
		

			when we're looking at the number
of surgeries that people in rural
		

			communities need, obviously, there
have been some follow ups from
		

			people who were here in February,
they've now come back for more
		

			ailments and seeking even more
medical assistance. The need for
		

			special specialist surgeries is
also great. How do you think we
		

			can best address issues like that?
Where, where rural communities,
		

			they simply don't have the means
to go to those bigger cities,
		

			those bigger towns, for much
needed operations.
		

			Yes, one important way ahead, as
has been shown so well here today
		

			is looking into the public private
partnership.