Pediatric Care Africa celebrated a major milestone this past Saturday, hosting a medical and dental outreach at Vlakteplaas Primary School, about 60 km outside Oudtshoorn on the Willowmore road.
The event marked the organisation’s 8 000th patient to receive free medical care through its outreach programme, a remarkable achievement reflecting years of dedicated service.
“We conduct regular medical outreaches, providing treatment to children, their mothers, and all sick members of a community,” said a representative. “Our goal is to improve the health of children in these local communities.”
If these 8 000 patients had received the same care at private general practitioners, including consultations, medication, and tests, the estimated cost would have been approximately R7 600 000. Pediatric Care Africa continues to provide this essential healthcare at no cost, making a difference in communities with limited access to medical services.
The outreach was made possible by the efforts of volunteer doctors, including Dr Karla Talbot from Oudtshoorn, Dr Steve McNally from Mossel Bay, and Dr Anso Killian from De Rust, who ensured patients received comprehensive medical care. The dental team, led by Dr Chanel Biljohn, assisted 30 patients with various dental complaints.
“A special thanks goes to Demorian Morris-Appollis and her team from the Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality office, who ensured all patients and volunteers remained well-fed and hydrated under the heat,” the representative added.
“Volunteers managing patient registration, administrative tasks, and medication dispensing at the mobile pharmacy were also vital to the smooth running of the day.”
Pediatric Care Africa reaches 8 000 patients
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