On 14-15 April 2021, students and staff from the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences (CHS), Faculty of Law, Faculty of Dentistry and Faculty of Science will be providing services to 140 carers in the Mitchells Plain community. The University of the Western Cape (UWC) has been working in the Mitchells Plain community for over 20 years, placing health sciences students at various community organizations and institutions to deliver health and social care programmes that benefit the community members and university students.
The theme for the upcoming Outreach Programme is “Caring for the Carer” in which UWC will be bringing health screening, wellness talks, therapeutic, dental, and legal counselling services to the women and men who work tirelessly as Community Rehabilitation Workers (CRWs) and Home-based Carers in Mitchells Plain. These carers are often at the frontline and are the first contact for many in the community with the health and social care system. We know that those who provide care to others as a carer, often fail to set aside the time and resources for their own self-care. "This engagement comes out of having identified that the homebased carers and community rehabilitation workers are an essential part of the health workforce in South Africa. They are at the frontline of bringing health and wellness services to the communities and currently are major role players in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 in communities" said Prof Waggie.
Community engagement and social responsiveness is a fundamental pillar of health sciences education at UWC and the university has shown and demonstrated that it is committed to go an extra mile in serving the communities in Cape Town and surrounding areas. This drive and commitment will continue to grow each year, thereby impacting communities and making health services accessible to the most vulnerable and marginalised.
The outreach services are pioneered by the team in Interprofessional Education Unit (IPEU) under the leadership of the CHS Deputy Dean for Clinical and Community Engagement, Prof Firdouza Waggie and in partnership with Faculty of Law, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Dentistry. The faculty values the contribution from Melomed Hospitals, Shoprite, Checkers and Foschini Group.
For more information contact Dr Gerard Filies (Senior Lecturer), University of the Western Cape, Interprofessional Education Unit: gfilies@uwc.ac.za
