Dis-Chem baby city adds full clinic offering to fill healthcare gap

In-store clinics are being rolled out across the Dis-Chem Baby City network, filling the much-needed gap for integrated primary healthcare that straddles the public and private sector.

“Mother and baby wellness is a critical component of primary healthcare and antenatal and postnatal care for mothers and babies. We can’t ignore the fact that the public healthcare service is overburdened, yet millions of South Africans can’t afford private healthcare. In line with Dis-Chem’s ambition of offering the full spectrum of primary healthcare via pharmacy clinics, this concept has been extended to Baby City outlets, giving consumers access to affordable quality care via highly trained nurses and sophisticated equipment. We are also extremely mindful that prevention is better than cure and our clinics focus on maintaining mother and baby health by identifying and attending to any illnesses or health issues,” says Lizeth Kruger, Dis-Chem’s national clinic executive.

Kruger says Dis-Chem and Baby City clinics offer cradle to grave primary healthcare, starting with the clinic as the first contact point for basic health issues, offering a broad range of health services such as blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol testing, HIV testing and basic laboratory testing.

Preventative treatment includes baby immunisation, baby milestone development evaluation, adult immunisation and pregnancy monitoring to check for general health and to pick up any danger signs.

Female health screening and health evaluation is a critical component of the clinic service, and includes pap smear screening, breast examination, pregnancy tests and contraceptive management.

The Dis-Chem Baby City clinics offer 2D sonars, a valuable assessment tool to monitor overall foetal health, at all Baby City clinics nationwide, performed by clinic sisters who are trained and accredited to perform 2D sonar screening.

A holistic approach is given to antenatal services including the screening and monitoring of antenatal danger signs, standard antenatal blood tests, monitoring of intrauterine foetal position, advice on various delivery options, dietary advice during pregnancy and treatment of all minor ailments during pregnancy.

Postnatal services range from advice on post-delivery recovery; breastfeeding guidance and support; post-caesarean wound management and removal of sutures or clips; the initiation of contraceptive medication post-delivery; guidance, advice, and support during baby’s first weeks of life and psychological support post-delivery.

Other baby services include the monitoring of baby’s height and weight; advice on deworming and nutritional support; treatment of minor ailments and comprehensive health education and support on any concerns mom or dad may have.

Extending the overall healthcare service, the nurse led digital doctor consultation are adding an additional element of primary and preventative healthcare, together with on-going management of patients with chronic conditions.

“Access to affordable primary healthcare is beneficial across so many levels.  We are currently seeing more than 100 000 patients each month across our clinic network and anticipate this number to continue to grow as customers realise the combined value of accessibility, affordability ,and quality.  Adding much-needed ante- and postnatal care reiterates the importance of primary healthcare as the foundation of prevention and wellness from day one,” says Kruger.