Rotary clubs to bring free health services

THE Rotary Club Pietersburg 100 and the Rotary Club of Polokwane will join in the initiative named Rotarians for Family Health and Aids Prevention (RFHA) by providing free health services to the residents of Greenside in Polokwane.

“We will promote family health and create awareness around HIV/aids, tuberculosis (TB) and non-communicable diseases,” says Grant Daly from the Rotary Club Pietersburg 100.

These health days will take place from April 2 to April 4 in Greenside. “Other services over the three days will include TB symptomatic screening, diabetes and blood pressure screening, measles vaccination, deworming and the dispensing of vitamin A.”

According to Daly, RFHA is a global Rotarian action group and mobilising partner of Rotary International. RFHA has received an unprecedented commitment from the department of health, the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, SABC and Caxton to support the implementation of the Rotary Family Health Days (RFHDs) programme across the country.

The programme is Rotary-led with international support from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and agencies of the United States government who fund HIV/aids programmes.

“The Family Health Days are a comprehensive, holistic offering of free healthcare for parents, children, grandparents, friends and all family members in over 143 sites across the country. Approximately 4 000 Rotarians from 225 Rotary clubs will be volunteering between 09:00 and 16:00 daily and working the sites to assist the medical staff and deliver the services to South Africans,” says Daly.

“It is the vision of RFHA, Rotary leaders and other partners to expand the health event each year to other African countries.

“The Rotary Clubs of Pietersburg 100 and Polokwane volunteers built and manage the Greenside site and together with several non-profit organisations, they will mobilise the community into action to attract the citizens to the event.”

For more information, Daly can be contacted at (015) 293 1221.

To find out more about the RFHDs and the sites in your area, visit www.rfha.org.za or dial *120*7343#.

You can also follow them on Twitter at Follow@RFHD ZA on Twitter, or like them on Facebook at Facebook.com/RotaryFamilyHealthDays.