But this is precisely what is being done at the Occupational Therapy (OT) Centre where patients are being taught to do woodwork and other hobbies to enable them to while away their time in a fruitful manner.
The average duration of a patient’s stay at the hospital is between two to three months. Those that are multi-drug resistant (MDR) stay up to six months.
"We try to have a patient function once a month as an incentive for patients to be compliant and participate in their rehabilitation programme. Products produced can be used as gifts and to earn money to purchase more material and equipment," said Joana Stevenson, provincial health manager of the George sub-district.
Harry Comay TB Hospital caters for all TB patients in the Eden region, including MDR to HIV positive persons. Some patients are bed-ridden with deep vein thrombosis and other neurological problems like strokes. However the majority are up and about.
Patients from a poor socio-economic background struggle with compliancy and some suffer from depression exacerbated by the long periods they have to hospitalised.
The goal of the projects is to make patients self-sufficient and skilled in activities which can be used for income generation after discharge.
When Round Tablers Martin Botha and Chris Gibaud (chairperson) handed over a sizeable donation of woodwork equipment on Friday, the hospital staff and board expressed their gratitude.
Article and photo: Pauline Lourens
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Round Table’s Martin Botha (far right) and Chris Gibaud (Round Table chairperson, second from left) handed over woodwork machinery to the chairman of the Harry Comay Hospital Facility Board, Deon Joubert (left). With them are Dr Hannelie Louw, medical manager, and Jacques Booysen and Anne Gertze, both occupational therapy assistants.
