International Volunteers Day
6 December 2006
"Volunteers play a major supportive role in the health services we render,
and their role will become even more important as the burden on our services
increases," Minister Pierre Uys said at a Volunteers' Awards Ceremony at the
Red Cross Children's Hospital (RXCH). We cannot underestimate their key role in
promoting public health and providing healthcare, including the prevention of
epidemics such as HIV and AIDS, and polio eradication.
Health services have a history and well-established culture of volunteer
involvement in a variety of health care fields such as Emergency Medical
Services (EMS), where we have about ninety very dedicated and well-trained
volunteers. "You will find them in all our ambulances. They are true pillars of
strength on the accident scenes. We owe them our heartfelt thanks," Uys
said.
Volunteer services in our province go back a long way. Volunteers' services
at Groote Schuur Hospital are in their 55th year. About 76 volunteers are
actively easing the burden on our staff by doing important tasks like cleaning,
assisting in pharmacies, doing duty at reception, dressing patients' wounds and
helping with administrative work.
Many volunteers on our hospital facility boards, health forums and friends
of hospital organisations contribute by means of their managerial and financial
expertise, as well as interaction between the community they serve and the
management of the health facilities. Recently, the facility board of the
Vredendal hospital raised tens of thousands of rands at that town's local music
festival. Others organise golf tournaments, banquets or auctions to raise
funds. "These volunteers are enthusiastic people with a zest for life and who
know how satisfying service to your community is," Uys said.
Volunteers render a service to health facilities that the man in the street
is mostly unaware of. Their activities are patient driven and they provide
toiletry packs, appropriate dietary requirements for epileptic patients or
diabetic people, and educational and therapeutic toys for children. They are
also "entertainers" who perform or organise puppet shows, magic shows, musicals
and supply audio-visual equipment to minimise the trauma and boredom of
patients.
"Our volunteers even go the extra mile and support and assist many parents
who are, in most cases, needy families who are unemployed," Uys said.
Volunteers' organisations such as the Friends of the Children Hospital
Organisation at RXCH sponsor taxi, train and bus tickets, enabling parents to
maintain a close bond with their sick children.
"On behalf of the citizens of the Western Cape, I thank all our volunteers
for their unfailing commitment and dedication," Uys concluded.
Issued by: Department of Health, Western Cape Provincial Government
6 December 2006
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government (http://www.capegateway.gov.za)
