On Friday 27 June 2014, few days before the 3rd Forum for Partners on Maternal Newborn and Child Health, Her Royal Highness Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan visited the Ethafeni Clinic, in the Ekurhuleni Municipality.
HRH Princess Sarah Zeid is a maternal and newborn health advocate. She is a steering committee member of the Every Newborn Action Plan, and partners with PATH to promote the recommendations of the UN Commission on Life Saving Commodities for Women, Newborns and Children. She is also a global champion for the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, and an advisory board member for the Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch.
HRH Princess Sarah was warmly welcomed by Mr. Mohlobolwane, the Executive Director of the district, Dr. Makhanya, the Chief Nursing Officer at the National Department of Health as well as Ms. Navchaa Suren, UNFPA South Africa Deputy representative.
The clinic, one of the 35 in this municipality, came to life in March 2002 providing three streams of services: acute services such as primary health care (PHC), Maternal Child Women's Health (MCWH) and Integrated Chronic Disease Management (ICDM). In 2012, a Midwifery Obstetric Clinic (MOU) was opened to the public where almost 1,500 women are giving birth each month. The clinic has the highest delivery rate in the area, serving a total population of 51,857 with an increasing utilisation from 55,242 in 2010 to 106,941 in 2013 annually.
Princess Sarah, guided by Ms. Yoliswa, area manager, visited the entire facility from its filing rooms, antenatal care section, consulting rooms, as well as the pharmacy and the detached MOU. HRH Princess was able to understand how the clinic functions, as well as challenges and possible opportunities to reach the majority of women who live in the area, but often lack means and resources which prevent them to access sexuality and reproductive health services.
The visit concluded with a vote of thanks and appreciation from HRH Princess Sarah Zeid who "was honored to be among such great expertise and effort in saving mothers and children's lives".
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