WEDNESDAYS will never be the same for residents of Nelson Mandela Bay, especially the ones in the vicinity of Ward 5, following the recent opening of a community clinic in Central.
As part of her DA Laphumilanga Leadership Programme, Ward 5 assistant, Tory Masters, had to run a project this year, and decided on the Community Health Clinic.
With two doctors on site, the clinic, situated at The Healing Hands Community project at 12 Whitlock Road, will be open every Wednesday from 08:00 to 12:00.
For only R50, patients will receive a medical consultation and full examination, immune-boosting medicine, education and advice.
Other services at the clinic include basic dentistry – with exceptions, stitches, basic wound care and counselling.
Inside the consultation room in the clinic, a humidifier runs with immune-healing medicine to give an immediate impact on the health of patient’s lungs, and natural medicine is provided to improve gut health and boost the immune system of the patient.
Masters said that at the clinic they combine knowledge from various modalities of life, both medical and natural, to overcome day-to-day challenges of health, disease and living.
“We use natural, sustainable, alternative, functional and integrated medical approaches to overcome acute and chronic disease.
“Healing is found by addressing the cause, correcting nutritional deficiencies, cleaning the body systems and mind from toxicity overload and helping the immune system function optimally,” she said.
Masters explained that the clinic idea started to take form when she was introduced to Dr Mickaeel McDonald, founder of Doctors Across Borders trading as Doctors Beyond Medicine, who explained what they do and how they can bring healing to the community through natural medicine, allopathic medicine, wound care and crisis counselling.
“The flame was ignited! I then reached out to Maggie Bangaree of Healing Hands Projects, who was just as excited to launch the clinic.
“Maggie runs a community shelter, feeding and helping our community members, and she graciously opened her shelter to facilitate the Community Health Clinic.”
The team comprises Masters, Bangaree, Dr McDonald, Dr Sakeena Harmsen, administrator Catrina Wernberg and translator, Sindi Sam.
“Together, we are passionate about bringing healing to the people of Nelson Mandela Bay, physically and emotionally.”
The clinic launch was attended by, among others, DA Councillor Retief Odendaal, Councillor Annette Lovemore, councillor Terri Stander and Councillor René Meyer.
Over 30 community members were treated on the first day.
