Most nurses and managers showed up tracksuits, T-shirts and tekkies for the the early morning run on 23 June, as Settlers Hospital marked Staff Wellness Day.
The function began at 10am in the Settlers Hospital grounds; and also attracted several Life and Funeral policy companies including Avbob, Standard Bank, Sanlam, Capitec and Old Mutual. Company officials updated policies and gave information to potential new clients. Meanwhi, les tembi Guba and Nonkoliso Princess Mjaba Professional Nurse from Germs, they were doing screening taking blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol, weighing height and measure of waist and HIV testing.
Proceedings started with a prayer by Pastor Phumla Pango who also worked at Settlers Hospital for 23 years. She asked staff to be true to themselves and face all challenges the devil was constantly challenging them. She also encouraged staff do good because their Department is in crisis.
Setter’s CEO Luyanda Nqenqa said that a worker must be healed “you can’t heal if you are not healed yourself first.” She encouraged staff to test themselves (for conditions) so that they could be able to help the others. Ngenga said the Wellness Day was one for fun because “we are all employees of Government.” She urged staff to put patients first because their work, the clothes on their back and even a child going to University “is because of that patient who is in bed.” Added Ngenga: “Keep smiling and be positive all the time.”
Makana Council Member Ramie Xhonxa was in equally motivational mood.
“As residents of Grahamstown, Settlers Hospital is one of the most important facilities in our community because it is where people get help,” he said. “Without Settlers, we [would]be nothing because [we’d have] to travel to other places for help. It is an institution [that]brings hope to the community of Makana.” Councillor Xhonxa added that Setters’ also put food on the tables of a lot of families, making it one of the most important stakeholders in Makana.
He said that Wellness Day allows stakeholders to focus on the situation of the people in an institution; as well as their training and recruitment.
“People should live mental, physical and spiritual lives,” he said because “it is important for the workers to be physically fit in order not to make mistakes.”
Added Area Manager Gqamana: “In hospital we are working under pressure, but thanks to the CEO, we have a Wellness Day so that workers can be fine,”
She urged staff to avoid mistakes because the consequences of such mistakes are often terrible.
