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story sandile mbili pictures wild soul photography
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his beautiful mother and wife is not only loving her family unconditionally, but also has a heart of gold – caring for sick people who visit her private clinic, which operates under the Unjani Clinic Network, at the Embo community in Riverview. Zandile Khambule, 55, has been a professional nurse for 29 years, obtaining her nursing degree at the University of Zululand in 1992 before starting her career at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital. A promotion then took her to KwaDabeka Clinic, where she worked as an operational nurse manager, and thereafter she was transferred to Waterfall Clinic – occupying the same role. “The desire to give help and support to those in need is in me. That’s why I had this vision of joining the Unjani Clinic Network in January 2018, a network that empowers black South African female nurses to build a suitable network of nurse-owned-and-operated primary healthcare clinics nationally,” says Zandile. Her clinic, which has been open for three years, offers numerous primary healthcare services and employs two nursing assistants. Patients
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ABOVE: Sister Zandile with patient Smangele Phakathi. LEFT: The Unjani Clinic. BELOW: Zandile and nursing assistants Nokubonga Ngcobo (left) and Talent Mthiyane (right).
A caring
HEART SISTER KHAMBULE HELPS THE COMMUNITY THROUGH HER PRIVATE CLINIC
pay a small consultation fee, which includes medication, and the clinic stays open late – to the great convenience of Embo and surrounding areas. Gugu Mazibuko collects her chronic medication for free at the clinic, through the Central
Chronic Medicines Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD) programme. “Sister Khambule is a wonderful person, she tells me exactly what I must do and which medication I need that won’t clash with my chronic condition – as I am a
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person living with HIV.” Zandile feels honoured to run the clinic and loves being her own boss. “I only do home visits and house calls to very sick and terminally ill patients,” she adds. “And I make sure that everyone who attends my clinic leaves satisfied.”
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