Manguzi Hospital is a 281 bed district hospital situated in far northern KwaZulu Natal, a mere 17km from the southern Mozambican border. The hospital originaly started in the early 1930s as a methodist mission station, with a small one roomed clinic run by a single nurse, joined by a doctor at a later stage. The Hospital remained a Methodist mission hospital until it was absorbed by the South African government in 1982. Since then it has run as a rural state hospital, but has retained a lot of its' missionary ethos- giving staff common values and shared identity.
Manguzi Therapy Department was started in 1971 by Pam McLaren. During this time, there were a mere 3 therapists for the entire district (in excess of 650 000 people), and the emphasis was on identifying people with disabilities (a door to door survey), obtaining identity documents and disability grants for them, and forming skills workshops and support groups.
The department flourished, and now has a full cadre of rehabilitation professionals (physio, OT, speech and language and audiology) and assistants (PTT, OTT, and general assistants). The department also works closely with the local disabled peoples organization, S'philasizwe, in advocating for improved services (and attitudes!) for people with disabilities in the area. The department has in excess of 2000 visits per month, and operates a busy outpatient department, as well as servicing wards, 18 remote clinics, home visits and community work following a CBR approach.
The department is well equipped and has a core management team of permanent therapists and assistants across disciplines, strengthening a multi-disciplinary, open-door approach to rehab. Prevention, promotion and rehabilitational programs are run within these service areas, and access to continuous professional development for staff is guaranteed.
The department welcomes students from all universities, and supports the Uthombo Youth Development Foundation- a bursary scheme aimed at local scholars in our area, ultimately placing them back at their original hospital and department for the duration of their 'work back' time as young professionals (check out www.umthomboyouth.org.za).
