Right to Care’s Western Cape programme
In the Western Cape Right to Care is funded by the Western Cape Department of Health (DoH) to support its preventative healthcare programme in rural communities.
With a central office in Hermanus, Right to Care operates in three rural districts:
We have a ten-year track record in managing large community health programmes in the Western Cape.
Resources for health are allocated according to population numbers. Therefore, in more sparsely populated areas finances are constrained. Another challenge in providing healthcare services is the migration of people across districts because of seasonal work and drought conditions.
Our work in these districts focuses on:
Right to Care’s teams here provide:
We also have facility-based counsellors who are responsible for:
We work with the Western Cape Department of Health to strengthen links between communities and primary healthcare facilities in efforts to address:
We work with the Western Cape Department of Health to strengthen links between communities and primary healthcare facilities in efforts to address:
A new non-medical/wellness site in Beaufort West
Counsellors, community health workers and nursing staff have worked hard to make this initiative a success. Launch of the non-medical/wellness site has:
In the Central Karoo district, Right to Care identified a central hub in Beaufort West where Right to Care established a non-medical/wellness site. A mobile unit complements the work that takes place at the site by going into remote areas to screen, test and refer people living in outlying areas.
This site is a best practice model that shows how a central community-based service aligned with nearby healthcare facilities can improve healthcare service delivery.
Walk-in clients
We also help walk-in clients and provide them with:
- HIV testing, screening and referrals to facilities for treatment and care,
- TB screening and referrals,
- diabetes screening and referrals,
- mental health screening,
- counselling to improve wellness and prevent illness,
- health services for women including pap smears and family planning,
- men’s health services (family planning, voluntary medical male circumcision) and
- support for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Helping people who are more vulnerable
Our site in Beaufort West has become a safe environment for people who are particularly vulnerable to HIV and STIs such as:
- sex workers,
- men who have sex with men (MSM),
- truck drivers,
- the youth and
- homeless people who live in the nearby park.
