Durban clinic caring for the homeless calls for volunteers

THE Kathleen Voysey Clinic, which provides primary healthcare free of charge to many of Durban’s homeless, aged and unemployed, is appealing for additional medical staff to volunteer their services for one morning a week.

The Kathleen Voysey Clinic operates as a busy temporary pop-up clinic one morning per week. It works out of Umbilo Methodist Church Hall on Thursdays between 08:00 and 11:00. The clinic is a registered healthcare organisation and formal NPO and sees approximately 200 patients per month.

In order to continue the excellent service the clinic has been providing, additional medical staff are needed to volunteer their time. The positions would be best suited to a recently retired doctor, nursing sister, pharmacist or for a community-minded healthcare professional who could donate a morning of their time to assist.

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The Kathleen Voysey Clinic has been one of Musgrave Methodist Church’s mainstay outreach programmes for many years. It was founded in 1998 by medical professionals who attended Musgrave Methodist and who answered the call for the great need to provide primary healthcare free of charge to those who need it the most. Although it is a project of Musgrave Methodist, volunteers from all faiths (or none) are welcome.

The Kathleen Voysey Clinic is entirely funded and supported by donors. The clinic’s funding has been impacted over the last two years and is needing funding support to be able to continue to purchase medicines, equipment and dressings. Without this vital support, the clinic will not be able to continue, as the clinic does not receive any formal support from the city, regional or national Department of Health. The clinic also needs to secure a sustainable flow of cereals and soap and other basic hygiene products.

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A team of trustees manages the clinic, and the finances, managed by Ewing Trust Company Ltd, are audited annually.

If you are able to assist the clinic in any way forward, with any of these needs, contact Gregory Whitehead at 031 201 2005 / 082 806 1368 or email greg@musgravemethodist.co.za or call Cindy Smith at 083 395 5493 for further information.