UFH Faculty of Health Sciences donates patient beds to old age home

The University of Fort Hare’s Nursing Department under the Faculty of Health Sciences donated much-needed patient beds with mattresses and bedside lockers to Silver Crown old age home in Amalinda, East London.

A group of staff members, led by Senior Lecturer Ms Thandi Khumalo and Ms Cleo Mthethwa who is the acting lab manager visited the centre to hand over the donation.

According to Ms Khumalo, the kind gesture was initiated by the faculty’s infrastructure committee upon realizing it had a surplus of assets in its clinical laboratory. “A collaborative decision was made to donate the spare equipment to those in need. This is also our way of giving back to the community that we service as health practitioners.”

The more than 100-year-old state-owned facility located on the Amalinda Main Road is currently home to 36 senior people (above the age of 60) some of who are battling chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.

The donation was greatly appreciated by the centre manager, Ms Lulekwa Nanto.

“It might seem small to others but to us, it is a big deal. We have residents who are ill and cannot sleep on normal beds because they need to be elevated. These beds will certainly bring comfort to some of our residents.”

“We are caring for people who are sometimes forgotten by society or even by their own families and to have Fort Hare and other donors visiting the facility bearing gifts, brings joy to the residents,” said Nanto.