• American volunteer nurses help sick patients who can’t reach clinics in Johannesburg’s townships.

• The group offers free medical care and medicine to people struggling to access healthcare services.

A sick woman who couldn’t walk to get her diabetes medicine found help when caring nurses discovered her at her doorstep in Orlando East.

Ntswaki Moshosho, 47, was sitting helplessly outside her two-room shack in Lahlamlenzi informal settlement when volunteer nurses found her on 22 December.

“I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2020. I go to the Orlando Community Clinic every four to six weeks for my chronic check-up and to receive my medication there,” said Moshosho.

She couldn’t walk to the clinic for two months because of sores on her foot. Her medicine ran out five weeks ago, and health workers couldn’t find her because she had no proper address.

But help came when Nurses with Purpose visited her settlement. They gave her medicine and checked her health. They promised to return to check on her.

The group started in the United States but now has nurses from Kenya, Guatemala and South Africa.

They help people who can’t reach clinics, teach youth about health at schools, and give food to the poor in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

“South Africa is our signature country of focus because of its rich history, different cultures and religions. Furthermore, people living in informal settlements are more prone to diseases and illnesses, and this is where we come in, especially because of South Africa’s strained public health system,” said manager Thando Tshuma-Moyo.

The nurses gain experience while helping South Africa’s struggling health system.

“We see patients of all ages, genders and religious groups. Importantly, we don’t infringe on anyone’s beliefs while we offer the best medical care that we can provide.

Sadly, some of our patients are in the worst shape when we reach them, but we try our utmost to offer them good treatment,” said Moyo.

The nurses have changed life for Thabo Mosie, 45, and his epileptic son, 11. Before, Mosie had to miss work to take his son to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.

“When I take my son to Bara we must be at the hospital by 5.30am and join the snaking queue so that we can be attended to early. If we are lucky, we could be finished with consultation and pick up his medication by 2pm,” said Mosie.

Sometimes they had to visit local clinics too if the hospital pharmacy was empty.

“Nurses with Purpose always have medication at hand, offer quick and efficient health services and I don’t have to miss work. I was also advised by them to give the son’s principal his medical history so that the nurses can go to the school every month,” said Mosie.

Pictured above: Nurses with Purpose.

Source: Supplied