While poverty, substance abuse, mental health conditions and long distances to a local clinic often hinder patients from seeking medical treatment, a doctors’ practice in Klapmuts, near Paarl, has shifted its focus to a healthy lifestyle and diet with the notion that prevention is better than cure.
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This is according to Dr John Frith, a general practitioner at the Klapmuts Medical Centre, who recently launched a sustainable vegetable garden on an unused parking area adjacent to his practice.
After more than a decade as a GP and a background in community-based healthcare, John noticed the need for fresh produce at an affordable price as a way of reducing the negative effects of a poor diet on the public and the community’s need for their daily veggies.
This saw him partner up with some of his patients, who work on farms in the area, to establish a project that is likely to dramatically improve the health and well-being of people in the area.
‘My passion has always been rural healthcare and public health,’ he explained during a recent interview. ‘I’ve been involved in a number of projects in rural areas of South Africa and outreach programs for people who don’t have adequate healthcare.’
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‘We found out that there was no doctor in Klapmuts and that there was quite a big need for medical services.’
With an estimated 20 000 people living in the vicinity, many of whom grew up and still live in the area, John said that his practice serves several demographics from various socio-economic groups.
‘Many work locally as we are surrounded by some of the best wine farms in South Africa,’ he explained. ‘Some of them work as farm laborers or management.’
‘There are also many working in Paarl or Stellenbosch while there is also an influx of people moving onto the estates. It’s a mix of different socio-economic groups and different sectors of society.’
Substance abuse, in particular, is a major concern facing the community, along with a significant shortage of mental health experts.
‘There is only one primary school which has over 1000 learners,’ he added. ‘They recently started a high school which already has over 1000 grade eights and nines alone.’
‘These schools often ask us to come and give talks on drugs.’
‘It’s quite scary because by grade three, there are already children using quite hectic stuff.’
‘Despite these issues, there is only one psychologist for 220 schools in the area.’
John said that while teachers were doing a remarkable job addressing the needs of their pupils, their efforts were simply not enough to resolve these plaguing concerns.
‘Many parents also speak to us about the issue when they come to the practice.’
‘The community really is doing amazing things and working with different NGOs.’
‘In fact, we don’t really have that many violent crimes that are not drug or alcohol-related.
According to the GP, Paarl has the highest prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the world, which has a dire impact on families, schools and work and comes with its own stigma.
‘The older generation didn’t grow up really knowing about mental health problems and are not as aware of these but many patients still suffer from them.’
‘I’m really trying to focus on these issues as it is difficult for patients to see mental health practioners.’
‘We offer as many services as we can but it still remains a big issue.’
Apart from substance and mental health challenges, lifestyle diseases, like hypertension and diabetes, along with HIV and TB, are also troubling issues, resulting in the decision to grow veggies for the community on the practice’s premises.
‘These conditions are preventable,’ John emphasised. ‘The idea is that when people come to us and see the garden, we are able to explain the importance of a healthy lifestyle and diet.’ ‘It seems simple enough but it really is the solution to many of the issues that the community is facing.’
‘I really wanted to start the garden before we even found a site. We had a parking area as part of our lease and asked if we could use it to grow vegetables.’
‘One day, one of my patients mentioned that they had started a veggie garden at the school where they are growing amazing crops while teaching the children how to grow food and where it comes from.’
‘They then offer their produce to the community at a reduced price so we asked them if they could start a similar initiative at our practice.’
‘There were a lot of donations from surrounding farms. It really has been a great community effort.’
‘My idea is that eventually, we will give patients vegetables, as part of the treatment when they come for a consultation.’
‘What I like about the project is that it is sustainable and that the veggies are grown near to where they live.’
‘Pieter Prins (Founder), Jeremy Van Kerwel & Eron Jantjies, from EPJ Kleinboerdery, are in charge of growing the produce and the day-to-day operations of the project.’
‘If I don’t have patients, I will go out and learn from them. I love gardening so it’s great for me to understand what to plant when and how to grow veggies properly.’
‘There is a lot of local knowledge that these men have passed on to me.’
‘South Africans, in general, have terrible diet with high salt content and processed foods along with the wrong fats.’
‘There is so much unused land that is just lying there and many properties and practices have ground available for this purpose.’
‘It’s good for the environment, the people and the practice and it’s so easy to do.’
‘We’ve been very fortunate to have the local farms supporting us as it would be very difficult for us to do all this on our own.’
‘Everyone has been so keen to chip in and we really could not have done it without their support.’
‘It really creates a lot of positivity in the community.’
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Pictures: Supplied