TO cater for a growing demand for quality health care services and to better serve mothers and children in their area, the Healthy Mom and Baby Clinic (HMBC) in Jeffreys Bay is planning to expand its facilities.
As previously reported by the Kouga Express, the clinic was founded in 2002, due to an overwhelming need in the community for a specialised clinic that focused on improving the health of mothers and children.
According to Else Vooijs, project leader at the clinic, since its establishment, the HMBC has grown to a well-established and respected organisation within the local community by providing multiple reproductive health services for more than 1 000 women and babies each month.
Vooijs said since they moved to their current building in 2008, they have been using every square metre of their offices.
Now 13 years later, the need for the clinic which consisted of 13 staff members has grown, which has resulted in the need for more space.
“Since 2016 we have reached a plateau due to the lack of space in the building and we have not been able to increase the number of clients,” said Vooijs.
She said their current space was divided by sections with a curtain and included their team room, classroom, waiting area, breastfeeding room, weight room and storage room.
Vooijs said, on multiple occasions their clients have had to use their kitchen as an area to wait for an ambulance to arrive in emergency cases or used as a waiting area for mothers with sick babies.
Fortunately, Dr Rynold Domingo, who ran his practice next to the clinic, moved on December 1, to his own building in Koraal Street in Jeffreys Bay. Vooijs said they then decided to use the opportunity to expand the clinic.
She said the expansion, which they hoped to have completed by February next year, would help the clinic operate more effectively and efficiently.
She said they planned to separate the clinic into two sections, namely, the antenatal and reproductive health section and a portion for the babies with a weight room for both sides.
In addition, they plan to develop an emergency room which will be accessible to an ambulance.
“This expansion gives us space to employ more staff and offer more services than we already do. This will make the flow much easier but also more convenient for all,” said Vooijs.
“Our vision has always been to help all women and babies in the Kouga area and the expansion is a great step forward.”
The main services currently offered at the clinic include pregnancy care and ultrasound scanning, education and support to all pregnant women including teenage pregnancies, doula services, non–medical birth support during labour, childcare up to five years and women’s health such as cancer screening and family planning.
Additional services include a mobile clinic that reaches the most vulnerable people in the community to provide HIV screening to all clients, among other assistance.
The clinic also provides counselling for women who are faced with crisis pregnancies and various other challenges, a baby safe to prevent babies from being abandoned and to provide a safe place for unwanted babies and a second–hand shop for good quality clothes at a low price.
With the expansion, they plan to open a private wing in the clinic which will allow them to offer services such as private antenatal checkups, scans and classes which will require families to pay a consultation fee.
In addition, they plan to offer private reproductive health services like family planning and pap smears.
“We are super excited about this. We have been receiving lots of requests for private services, and it will help us grow our long-term sustainability,” said Vooijs.
To raise much-needed funds for the expansion and renovations before opening the new section of the clinic, they have requested people in the community, as well as local businesses, to donate towards their project.
“We are privileged to serve the community through the work we do. We can’t wait for this next step in scaling up the clinic and to give God even more space to work in and through us to bless the community around us,” said Vooijs.
