Despite the regular activities of SHAWCO Health being curtailed as a result of the pandemic, the student-led organisation has used this as an opportunity to assist communities. SHAWCO President Sana Salduker said, “SHAWCO has a history of being present and useful during difficult times, and we hope to continue this during the national lockdown”.

Before the lockdown began, SHAWCO Health conducted health promotion activities in a number of communities where the organisation usually operates - distributing 10 000 bars of soap and 10 000 pamphlets (in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa). The communities include: Masiphumelele, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Browns Farm, Imizamo Yethu, Kensington and Manenberg. Shawco Health volunteers (all MBChB students in clinical years)

SHAWCO Health was also approached by City of Cape Town officials to assist with COVID-19 mass screening and medical care at a site in Strandfontein where over 1500 homeless people were being sheltered. SHAWCO Health volunteers (all MBChB students in clinical years) ran two clinics in conjunction with the City Health services. The volunteers noticed a high volume of psychiatric illness in the homeless population, such as depression, bipolar disorder and most commonly opioid withdrawal. They therefore initiated the process of getting volunteer psychiatrists to assist SHAWCO doctors at the clinics.

SASOP Western Cape (the South African Society of Psychiatrists) Chairperson Dr Laila Asmal along with a community-based psychiatrist Dr Kathleen Mawson, joined the students at a dedicated psychiatric clinic for the homeless. The psychiatrists have committed to doing a weekly psychiatric clinic at the site along with the SHAWCO volunteers. SHAWCO Health also reached out to a team of addiction specialists who are also volunteering to assist specifically with the opioid withdrawal patients. This team is led by Dr. Duncan Laurenson.

“When we were initially asked to assist at Strandfontein, we thought that we would be doing our usual primary healthcare SHAWCO clinics. However, after we saw the significant need for dedicated mental health services at the site, we felt a responsibility to assist. Although this work is outside of SHAWCO’s scope, we are very grateful to the specialist doctors who are generously volunteering their time to make these clinics possible”, said SHAWCO Health President Sana Salduker

“Our volunteers have been extremely enthusiastic to assist this vulnerable group and we are very proud of the work they are doing”.

Read more about SHAWCO Health’s #BeKindOnline social media campaign which has raised over R300 000 for SHAWCO communities.