Sad farewell to mobile clinic

THE Observatory Village Green was recently the last operational site of the Desmond Tutu Tester, a mobile testing station run by the Desmond Tutu Foundation.
The mobile clinic, which tested thousands of South Africans for high blood pressure, HIV, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and TB, has now officially shut down because of the withdrawal of funds from the US.

On a cold and dreary day, Observatory residents and employees lined up patiently to get tested at the mobile clinic, which was organised by the Observatory Improvement District.

The idea of the clinic was to provide a health check to the homeless residents in Obs, as well as to raise general in Observatory awareness about the importance of getting tested and going for regular health checks.

The homeless people who attended the testing each received a toiletry bag which was sponsored by residents and OBSID COO Ursula van Stavel.

The homeless people were tested for TB and have all passed the test and are TB negative.

Ursula said: “This should be done again as there is a great need.”