We partner with Marissa Nel & Associates, a medical orthotic and prosthetic facility, to provide pensioners insured by RMA, who have been disabled or physically challenged as a result of their work-related injuries, with treatment from a mobile clinic. The mobile clinic offers unique medical access to pensioners insured by RMA and travels both within South Africa and to six neighbouring countries. This initiative enables us to interact with and understand the social needs of the pensioners.
During visits to the pensioners, prosthetic limbs are made, and repairs are done, on-site. Our promise of Caring Compassionate Compensation is carried through by assessing the socio-economic circumstances of our pensioners and, where necessary, they are assisted with numerous food projects and upliftment programmes. These include the provision of seeds and gardening implements from the social fund, house renovations and the donation of shoes and clothes.
Mobile clinic travels to Malawi
The RMA team and Marissa Nel team embarked on a week’s’ journey to Malawi for the annual mobile clinic in June, visiting the cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe. On their trip to Blantyre, a city in the southern part of Malawi they visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where the pensioners were in good spirits even through the hardships that they face daily. The team attended to 4 pensioners with health-related concerns and referred one pensioner to the local hospital to be further assessed. A distribution table was set up at the hospital to hand out all the generous donations contributed by RMA staff and other stakeholders.
Their next stop was Lilongwe the capital city of Malawi, where they visited the Kamuzu Hospital and found that the pensioners appeared more active and their prosthetics needed more intensive repairs. These pensioners were happy to have visitors and shared with the team some of their stories.
One story that resonated with the team was of Mr Phiri a well-known and successful farmer in his village. Dedicated to helping his community Mr Phiri had started a school in his village some time ago and had brought along a photo album of his time and work put into to this school. However, the intense Tropical Cyclone Idai that passed through the town in March this year, had caused major destruction to the school, leaving the community with many challenges to get back on track. Despite the current circumstances that Mr Phiri faces he also shared with the team the success of his crops on his farm.
The last stop in Lilongwe was a home visit where the team travelled more than 60Km from the city to see a pensioner, it was this visit that brought on the awareness of the challenges that our pensioners face and how important the mobile clinic visits are.
“The Malawi Mobile Clinic adds value to our pensioners and is a humbling experience. It is hard work, but the spirit and dedication of the team lightens the load. I am proud to be part of the Malawi Mobile team,” said Sue Rundle, PMCA Team Leader.
If you need further information on the Mobile Clinic, you may chat with our Medical team.