Hospital and clinic services
Primary Health Care clinics
Zithulele is served by thirteen primary health care clinics. Staffing levels vary but most are understaffed. Getting reliable supplies is a major challenge and all regularly run out of medication on the Essential Drug List. A few years ago the clinics were separated into a separate administrative unit, but consistent with our philosophy of improving access for patients, we have an outreach programme that sees our doctors, therapists, dentist and ARV teams all reaching out weekly to a number of our major clinics. We also have close links with the full-time doctor at the nearest community health centre. In this way we hope to support the nurses, reduce unnecessary referrals and treat more patients nearer their homes. In addition to clinical support we hope this programme will integrate and improve a variety of hospital and clinic services, including antenatal care, child health monitoring, care to HIV positive people including the provision of anti-retroviral drugs and better TB diagnosis and treatment follow up.
Hospital services
The hospital serves a population of 130 000 people. There are two private general practitioners who work in a small town an hour from the hospital, but otherwise the hospital’s doctors are the only medical doctors in the area.
Zithulele is a District Hospital offering non-specialist services to patients referred from the surrounding clinics. These include: in-patient care for maternity cases (antenatal, delivery and postpartum), general wards for female and male medical and surgical patients, paediatrics and a TB block for patients who are too sick for out-patient management or those living too far from their clinics (see below). An out-patient department sees patients referred from local clinics and doubles as a casualty where emergencies are seen 24 hours a day. The reasonably modern and well equipped theatre is currently used mainly for Caesarean sections and minor surgery, including skin grafts, incision and drainages, debridements and manipulations of fractures. For more information on the common diseases we see, click here.
Clinical services are supported by a hardworking laboratory which can do basic haematology (FBC, ESR), chemistry (U&E, LFTs, CRP, RPR, βHCG) and microbiology (sputum & urine microscopy, CSF analysis). Other investigations must be done in Mthatha and results often take time. Our pharmacy has improved dramatically since the first ever pharmacist started work. We enjoy a regular supply of most medicine on the Essential Drug List and good access to surgical consumables (supply-chain issues notwithstanding). Our radiographers run a busy X-ray service, with a digital X-ray machine (maintenance issues notwithstanding!) An ultrasound machine donated by the People of Japan in 2006 has made a huge difference in managing patients. CSSD, laundry and other support services are on the premises.
Zithulele is served by thirteen primary health care clinics. Staffing levels vary but most are understaffed. Getting reliable supplies is a major challenge and all regularly run out of medication on the Essential Drug List. A few years ago the clinics were separated into a separate administrative unit, but consistent with our philosophy of improving access for patients, we have an outreach programme that sees our doctors, therapists, dentist and ARV teams all reaching out weekly to a number of our major clinics. We also have close links with the full-time doctor at the nearest community health centre. In this way we hope to support the nurses, reduce unnecessary referrals and treat more patients nearer their homes. In addition to clinical support we hope this programme will integrate and improve a variety of hospital and clinic services, including antenatal care, child health monitoring, care to HIV positive people including the provision of anti-retroviral drugs and better TB diagnosis and treatment follow up.
Hospital services
The hospital serves a population of 130 000 people. There are two private general practitioners who work in a small town an hour from the hospital, but otherwise the hospital’s doctors are the only medical doctors in the area.
Zithulele is a District Hospital offering non-specialist services to patients referred from the surrounding clinics. These include: in-patient care for maternity cases (antenatal, delivery and postpartum), general wards for female and male medical and surgical patients, paediatrics and a TB block for patients who are too sick for out-patient management or those living too far from their clinics (see below). An out-patient department sees patients referred from local clinics and doubles as a casualty where emergencies are seen 24 hours a day. The reasonably modern and well equipped theatre is currently used mainly for Caesarean sections and minor surgery, including skin grafts, incision and drainages, debridements and manipulations of fractures. For more information on the common diseases we see, click here.
Clinical services are supported by a hardworking laboratory which can do basic haematology (FBC, ESR), chemistry (U&E, LFTs, CRP, RPR, βHCG) and microbiology (sputum & urine microscopy, CSF analysis). Other investigations must be done in Mthatha and results often take time. Our pharmacy has improved dramatically since the first ever pharmacist started work. We enjoy a regular supply of most medicine on the Essential Drug List and good access to surgical consumables (supply-chain issues notwithstanding). Our radiographers run a busy X-ray service, with a digital X-ray machine (maintenance issues notwithstanding!) An ultrasound machine donated by the People of Japan in 2006 has made a huge difference in managing patients. CSSD, laundry and other support services are on the premises.
