Beacon Bay Clinic staff doing home visits to raise awareness

Healthcare workers at the Beacon Bay Clinic have started doing door-to-door visits in parts of the community to raise awareness about hypertension anddiabetes. The clinic’s staff are also offering peoplehealth screeningsusing portable medical equipment. The initiative, which started last week and is being rolled out elsewhere in the Eastern Cape, aims to bring primary healthcare services closer to residents — particularly those who struggle to travel long distances to clinics.

Clinic staff said the outreach programme was introduced after the department noticed that many patients, especially those in outlying areas, were defaulting on treatment due to transport difficulties and the distance to health facilities. During the visits, trained community outreach workers educate families about the risks associated withhigh blood pressureand diabetes. They also conduct screenings using portable equipment, allowing residents to check their health status without leaving their homes.

Health department spokesperson Camagwini Mavovana confirmed the initiative. “The department is providing primary healthcare services closer to communities through the Ward-Based Primary Health Care Outreach Teams throughout the province,” Mavovana said. The teams conduct door-to-door visits in communities, with the primary role being to provide more information on preventive strategies that individuals and communities can implement in order to take responsibility for their health The teams consist of community health workers led by enrolled nurses who serve as outreach team leaders. “The teams conduct door-to-door visits in communities, with the primary role being to provide more information on preventive strategies that individuals and communities can implement in order to take responsibility for their health,” Mavovana said.