Life has changed for the better for a group of persons with disabilities from Bloemfontein after receiving a donation of equipment that enable them to be mobile.
The much-needed donation was made courtesy of the Nurture Health Physical Rehabilitation Hospital.
The equipment was presented to the recipients on 12 February by the hospital group, which provides medical care, as well as acute and sub-acute rehabilitation treatment for people with a wide range of disabilities caused by illness.
This gesture of goodwill was the result of a community outreach conducted by Mamiki Qabathe, MEC for social development, during the local government elections awareness campaign last year.
While going to door-to-door, Qabathe had discovered the situation was dire for this group of people. Some of them had difficulty moving because they actually needed a wheelchair or walking frame.
“The need was evident for the care of people with disabilities, some being bedridden, frail family members,” said Qabathe.
This prompted action to seek a private-public partnership with the hospital, which responded positively to the call to relieve the plight of the persons with disabilities identified.
The donation of equipment included 40 hospital beds, 11 wheelchairs, 2 walkers, a reception counter and desk, 30 chairs and 5 tables, as well as a bedside locker and bed linen.
“The donation will go a long way in ensuring that they are able to move around more comfortably,” said Qabathe.
“There is a need for such partnerships in order to answer the call made by the president in his State of the Nation Address 2022 for a new consensus that is born out of a common understanding and recognition of the need to address the challenges of poverty and inequality.”
Qabathe said the partnership with the hospital would bolster the department in delivering on its mandate to address the plight of vulnerable people in the province.
