Ensuring free healthcare for DUT students DUT’s Isolempilo Campus Health Clinic, staffed by professional nurses and doctors, provides registered students with free medical services and advice in a professional and confidential manner. DUT Connect spoke to Sister Soori Wardthen to clarify what services are offered and which events the clinic hosted last year. Q: What is the Clinic’s aim, vision and mission? A: Our aim is to make health and wellness a culture and/ or a lifestyle among our student population. Our vision is to provide free primary healthcare aimed at preventive, promotive and curative healthcare for students.We try to provide a holistic healthcare service that assists students to reach their maximum potential in all areas of life. We, therefore, direct our efforts holistically to be in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO). Acknowledging that these areas of life are interrelated, we, therefore, seek to promote a multidisciplinary approach in the provision of healthcare services within our university. We also take cognisance of the external factors that influence health, namely, the environmental and economic factors. Q: What unique features are on offer at the clinic that will make students’ lives easier? A: The clinic offers a comprehensive service within the Department of Student Counselling and Health with ease of referrals
to and from the Student Counselling and HIV Centre. Furthermore, students are referred to departments within the University for other services that are available, namely: • Radiography • Chiropractic • Homeopathy • Dental The services available at the campus health clinic are as follows: • Treatment for minor ailments, e.g. cough and colds • Treatment for sexually transmitted infections • All contraceptives including: ºº Male and female condoms ºº Emergency contraceptives (morning after pill) ºº Implanon ºº Emergency care, including rape management and needle stick injuries, epilepsy and asthma ºº Pap smears ºº A support system for long-term treatment ºº Wellness clinic ºº Tuberculosis management ºº A medical doctor is available for two hours daily ºº Health information and dissemination ºº Immunisation ºº Referrals to and from clinics (internally and externally) ºº HIV testing service, including provider-initiated counselling and testing (PICT) ºº Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV ºº Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) for rape or needle stick injuries ºº Anti-retroviral treatment (ART) initiation for HIV-positive students
A senior professional nurse at an isolation room for suspected COVID-19 patients at the Ritson Campus. DUTConnect // 26
