On 25th August, we were honored to host the Bez Valley Clinic team at the Bienvenu Shelter as part of our annual community health drive. The event was open to residents of the shelter, staff members, outreach beneficiaries, and partner organisations.
The services provided during the health drive were blood pressure and diabetes screening, children’s immunization, deworming, pap smear testing, and access to contraception. A community dialogue on the importance of immunizing children, preparing healthy foods, using contraception, and regular check-ups was facilitated by the community health workers from the clinic, and referrals to other healthcare providers for those in need.
A total of 85 women and children received health support on the day, consisting of 44 women and 41 children from diverse nationalities. This health drive was critical to the shelter and the surrounding community because, as xenophobic sentiments increase, migrant women are becoming more fearful to seek health services. This is leading to higher cases of chronic illnesses and more children being unable to access needed treatment. The health drive thus enabled vulnerable women and children within the community to access health services safely and securely.
A heartfelt thank you to the Bez Valley Clinic team for their continued support!
