Minister Pierre Uys Praises Volunteers for their Efforts on International Volunteers Day

"Volunteers play a major supportive role in the health services we render, and their role will become even more important as the burden on our services increases," Minister Pierre Uys said at a Volunteers Awards Ceremony at the Red Cross Children's Hospital. We cannot underestimate their key role in promoting public health and providing health care, including the prevention of epidemics such as HIV and Aids, and polio eradication.

Health services have a history and well-established culture of volunteer involvement in a variety of health care fields such as Emergency Medical Services (EMS), where we have about ninety very dedicated and well-trained volunteers. "You will find them in all our ambulances. They are true pillars of strength on the accident scenes. We owe them our heartfelt thanks," Uys said.

Volunteer services in our province go back a long way. Volunteer services at Groote Schuur Hospital are in their 55th year. About 76 volunteers are actively easing the burden on our staff by doing important tasks like cleaning, assisting in pharmacies, doing duty at reception, dressing patients' wounds and helping with administrative work.

Many volunteers on our Hospital Facility Boards, Health Forums and Friends of Hospital organisations contribute by means of their managerial and financial expertise, as well as interaction between the community they serve and the management of the health facilities. Recently, the Facility Board of the Vredendal hospital raised tens of thousands of rands at that town's local music festival. Others organise golf tournaments, banquets or auctions to raise funds. "These volunteers are enthusiastic people with a zest for life and who know how satisfying service to your community is," Uys said.

Volunteers renders a service in health facilities that the man in the street are mostly unaware of. Their activities are patient driven and they provide toiletry packs, appropiate dietary requirements for epileptic patients or diabetic people and educational and therapeutic toys for children . They are also "entertainers" who perform or organise puppet shows, magic shows , musicals and supply audio - visual equipment to minimize the trauma and boredom of patients.

"Our volunteers even go the extra mile and support and assist many parents who are, in most cases, needy families who are unemployed. " Uys said. Volunteer organizations such as the Friends of the Children' Hospital Organization at RXCH sponsor taxi, train and bus tickets enabling parents to maintain a close bond with their sick children.

"On behalf of the citizens of the Western Cape, I thank all our volunteers for their unfailing commitment and dedication," Uys concluded.