The GIS Wellness Centre will soon have its next outreach of free medical services in Goodwood.
In association with the Goodwood Islamic Society, the GIS Wellness Centre was developed as a means of community health and awareness.
This project was initiated in 2007 by Sheikh Ebrahiem Tofa in the form of annual wellness days, but further developed in 2016 when an executive committee was formed to help grow his vision for a fully-fledged medical facility adjacent to the Quloobul Moe’Mieneen Mosque capable of providing healthcare services to pensioners, the unemployed and disabled persons residing in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town (provided they meet the admission criteria); these services are open to persons of all races, creed and religious persuasion.
More than 2 500 patients assisted
According to Ulfah Salie, GIS Wellness executive, since the official opening in 2016, the wellness centre and its volunteers have assisted more than 2 500 patients to date.
This includes patients seen at the wellness centre and various outreach programmes. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the wellness centre has been closed since the national lockdown in 2020 but is set to open early in 2023.
Despite the wellness centre being closed, it has continued to serve communities across the peninsula through outreach programmes serving all individuals who attended on those four outreach days, to Delft (2018), Belhar (2019) Elsies River (2020) and Lavender Hill (June 2022).
Currently the wellness centre functions with more than 100 volunteers onboard the project, ranging from doctors, nurses, dentists, and allied health professionals (including but not limited to: physiotherapists, chiropractors, speech therapists, dieticians, audiologists, opticians and optometrists, counsellors, social workers, Tibb practitioners, and homeopaths), as well as some medical specialists such as paediatricians and ear nose and throat specialists and all the admin staff.
Next outreach on 22 October
Salie, also a speech therapist at the wellness centre, said their next outreach programme is scheduled for Saturday 22 October and will run between 12:00 and 18:00, with queuing opening at 10:00.
It will be hosted at the Quloobul Moe’Mieneen Mosque, in Goodwood Street, Goodwood and will be open to all who can make their way there. All services run on a first-come, first-served basis and therefore patients are encouraged to come early.
The free services that will be offered include:
- Dental extractions and cleanings (cleanings under 18s only).
- Medical screenings and assessments, consultations with qualified doctors and appropriate treatment.
- Consultations with Paediatricians (children 12 years and under).
- Audiology consults (hearing tests and ear wax removals).
- Occupational therapy, speech therapy, dietetics (dietician): Assessments, recommendations and referrals.
- Counselling.
- Vision screenings (eyes).
- Biokineticist consults: for problems with the movement of the body.
- Natural Medicine consultations and cupping.
The Wellness Centre contact details are 078 021 6394 (WhatsApp is encouraged) or email wellnesscentre@goodwoodmosque.org.za.
