The health of Alex residents was recently highlighted when Pick n Pay at Pan Africa Mall invested two days of its retail time to focus on the health of its patrons, starting with the senior citizens.
This, through a primary health pop-up clinic in the store provided by Sevemob Africa, which customers found friendly, professional and easy to visit while they were shopping.
One of the store partners, Tshepo Ndlovu said, “Alex people have been good to us and their health is our concern. More than half of them are unaware of their status, hence, this free, proactive awareness campaign and investment to help save their lives. They were tested and treated freely for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and other lifestyle ailments.”
He urged residents to aim for healthy minds and bodies and advised them to look out for follow-up initiatives in the local media.
His partner, Neria Ndlovu, said it the social responsibility of businesses to invest in customers’ health. “Many… people collapse and die from preventable ailments like strokes, heart failure and cholesterol. They need to [have] regular checks ups, adhere to healthy eating habits and know their blood type,” she said.
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This service was also extended to employees to improve wellness and reduce absenteeism. Also, she urged men to test regularly for male-specific ailments and said school nutrition for children and breast cancer for women were their other concerns.
The service provider’s Tumi Mabitsela said the intervention complemented the government’s effort to ensure healthy citizens and workers through early detection, prevention, awareness and early treatment of ailments. “It’s a holistic primary health service which also collates their health details in a confidential database for easy referral and access by other health professionals they may approach when elsewhere in the country.
“The data enables the clinic to also monitor and remind clients to check regularly, ensure a healthy community and workers as part of a bigger family with the store.”
The beneficiaries were upbeat about the service, leading Simon Monati to say the free service would stop many self-induced illnesses in all age groups from a lack of regular check ups.
Another elderly customer worried that people ate anything without thinking about the implications to their health, and commended the store for its concern.
Details: Neria Ndlovu 060 408 3396.