Mediclinic Southern Africa gives back

Posted on 2 July 2014

Mediclinic Southern Africa donated disposable skin staplers worth R40 000 to Khayelitsha Hospital in the Western Cape.

Skin staplers are typically used in emergency centres and operating theatres to close wounds that would usually require sutures. A major benefit of using these staplers is that the wound heals more quickly than with traditional stitches. The emergency centre at Khayelitsha Hospital treats more than 3 000 emergency medical and trauma patients a month – it’s the busiest emergency centre in the Western Cape and one of the busiest in the country.

Dr Mvula Yoyo, transformation executive for Mediclinic Southern Africa, says Mediclinic actively engages in private-public initiatives with the state healthcare sector to help bring effective, affordable healthcare to more South Africans. ‘We’ve successfully worked with our colleagues in the public sector on several projects aimed at alleviating key pressure points at Western Cape hospitals – such as theatre waiting lists, equipment and training,’ he says. ‘We believe that continued collaboration is a critical element in building a sustainable healthcare system in South Africa.’

‘The donation is another demonstration of Mediclinic’s support for the health sector. This support leverages co-accountability by all stakeholders in the health sector for the health of our people. We are grateful for this support,’ says Theuns Botha, Western Cape Minister of Health.

Previously Mediclinic has helped the Department of Health with specialised beds for the Tygerberg Hospital cardiac unit and the Saturday Surgeries project with the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.

Pictured above: Specialist Dr Stephanus Serfontein (middle) demonstrated the skin staplers to theatre manager Heine Williams, Mediclinic transformation executive Dr Mvula Yoyo, hospital facility board chairperson Zamayedwa Sogayise, Minister Theuns Botha, matron Grace Mashaba and Khayelitsha Hospital CEO Dr Anwar Kharwa.

The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.