HOW many times did you visit a clinic or hospital only to wait for a long time before you were helped?
It has become normal for us to queue for hours for an appointment. The problem is, many visitors need medication, treatment and also need to eat.
The rising costs of life mean we can’t buy the food we need and at the end we have to skip meals to survive. But when you have to travel to a clinic early in the morning and stand for hours when you are already weak and hungry you might just collapse.
Thanks to Masjid Al-Ansar, a mosque in Orlando East, food and sausages are now being distributed with the help of the mosque’s partners, Ikhwana Islamiya and Jamaiatul Ulama South Africa.
Speaking to SunHealth, Omar Duma of the Islamic temple, said: “Back in 2010 we launched the mosque to provide spiritual upliftment to residents. In 2011 we decided to open a primary health care facility at the same church.
“Since the opening, 25 to 30 patients are helped by this clinic daily and most are happy about this service.”
One resident, who did not want to be named, said: “I think it is high time other churches follow this example.
“I no longer need to travel to the clinic which is far away. I started visiting this clinic early this year for check up after I had a severe pain from my spine. I no longer worry where I am going to get medication.”
The centre employees are a professional nurse, an assistant and a receptionist. They work a five day week, between 9am to 5pm.
Clinic services include pregnancy and blood pressure tests, diagnosing infant, children and adult’s illnesses.
Now there is food as well.
Duma said: “We provided 300 bread and sausage parcels to two clinics in Orlando but hope to expand to more later.”
