GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

What’s the goal?

To ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages.

Targets include reducing the number of deaths of mothers during pregnancy or child birth, ending preventable child deaths, ending or reducing HIV/ Aids and other diseases, universal health coverage, affordable essential medicines, sexual and reproductive healthcare, vaccine research, and access to medicines.

Why?

Healthy lives and well-being are fundamental in building prosperous societies. Since 2000, for example, measles vaccines have averted nearly 15,6 million deaths.

Our contribution

With the Group’s investment in 2018, more than 128 060 patients received primary healthcare services at Unjani Clinics in mining regions across the country. Services in these areas were less than optimal or people had to travel very far distances for care. Since the establishment of the clinics, however, up to 250 patients per month have been helped at each of them.

The clinics are in the following areas:

• Klipfontein, Midrand, Gauteng

• Kathu, Deben, Northern Cape

• Vosman, emahlahleni, Mpumalanga

• Musina, Limpopo

• Tshamahansi, Mokopane, Limpopo

The communities’ appreciation for the nurses, and the good quality but affordable healthcare services offered at the clinics, are most rewarding.

Unjani Clinic was a finalist for the Empowerment of Women in the Community Award.

“It is such a great honour to be chosen to own a clinic in Kathu. The biggest reward is offering high quality healthcare services in Mapoteng at affordable prices. I am able to improve the lives of many as a result of this.”

– Sister Gontle Cynthia Duna

AECI has also invested in an award-winning high school sexual, reproductive health, behaviour change and education programme that has operated in South Africa since 2012.

Connect-Ed aims to help reduce teenage pregnancies, STIs and HIV infection among learners. The objective is to empower young girls to make better informed decisions related to their sexual health. The programme also empowers educators to provide better support for them.

Improved sexual health and a reduction in the number of unplanned pregnancies are critical elements in breaking the cycle of poverty that often results when young women drop out of school due to pregnancy. The programme also raises awareness on how engaging in sex and falling pregnant while in school is a hindrance to the girls’ education and their futures.