In recognition of Women’s Month, Life Healthcare, one of South Africa’s leading private hospital groups and international healthcare providers, partnered with Pink Drive, a cancer education and screening NGO, to host cancer screening days at ten government clinics in Pretoria and Johannesburg during the month of August 2022.
The Gauteng MEC Health, Hon. Dr Mokgethi addressed guests at an official event at Silverton Clinic in Pretoria hosted by Life Healthcare to kick-off the screening days.
Life Healthcare’s sponsorship of the ten days of screening includes 250 mammograms, 500 pap smears and 600 PSA tests (for prostate cancer screening) In addition, Life Healthcare has contributed to the Northern Cape cancer surveillance outreach programme undertaken by the University of Cape Town, where Pink Drive is an active service provider.
“Clinical data proves that in many cases, early detection of cancer will result in a better prognosis and patient outcomes, and in many cancer types, early detection and the right treatment often means improved survival rates,” says Adam Pyle, Chief Executive Officer for Life Healthcare in South Africa.
Life Healthcare’s is committed to partnerships that assist in alleviating and improving access to healthcare through its CSI initiatives and partnerships which focus on health and education. “We are in the business of making life better and we believe that we have a responsibility to also care for our communities. Our CSI activities, such as these with Pink Drive and other organisations are important to helping more people get access to preventative healthcare and supplements governments efforts in rendering healthcare services,” he says.
The Silverton Clinic screening day included screening for diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure by Life Health Solutions, Life Healthcare’s health risk management company.
“We also included eye care screening in partnership with South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB) with whom we have partnered with since 2006 to deliver mobile screening and cataract surgeries to peri-urban and rural areas in the country,” says Pyle.
Life Healthcare facilitated the sponsorship of 500 packs of a highly nutritious fortified porridge through one of its associated food relief service providers, Soul Food for those who arrived at Silverton Clinic for their screenings. “Many of the people being screened had to get up early to get here and may not have eaten a meal. We trust that the packs of porridge assisted in helping to give them the energy needed to get through the day of screenings,” concluded Pyle.
