Upon resuming their duties, medical professionals take a solemn obligation to care for those in a time of need. One such individual is Newcastle Mayor, Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba.
Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba has taken time off from his mayoral duties to assist fellow doctors at the Newcastle Provincial Hospital amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The mayor, who is also a qualified medical doctor, rolled up his sleeves on Sunday morning, March 29, when he joined thousands of doctors who have reported for duty in the fight against the coronavirus.
Donned in his medical attire and a stethoscope around his neck, Dr Mahlaba immediately hit the ground running by interacting with doctors and nurses, while also assessing the facilities reserved for patients in the event of new COVID-19 infections.
Dr Mahlaba urged other qualified medical practitioners and retired medical personnel to lend a hand, as the country needs their services.
“I strongly encourage other medical practitioners and retired medical personnel to volunteer and offer their services to our country, so that we can unite against COVID-19. I also believe that we can defeat this virus if more people can avail themselves to serve our country and serve the less fortunate. I personally feel very privileged to be able to volunteer and offer my skills for the betterment of my community. However, the community can support this initiative by adhering to the calls by the president for residents to stay at home. This is a crucial time for the citizens of this country to be united more than ever,” remarked Dr Mahlaba.
Dr Mahlaba bemoaned the large number of people who continue to roam the streets and converge in large numbers, despite the president’s call for people to practice social distancing until the COVID-19 has been eradicated.
Dr Mahlaba believes this could have a detrimental impact on the work of doctors should the virus spiral out of control. He pleaded with communities to refrain from making unnecessary trips.
“I join the many voices who urge fellow South Africans to stay at home, for the sake of the medical staff, who are tirelessly working to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Community members should assist doctors and nurses by not increasing their chances of contracting the virus. If the virus spreads rapidly, then doctors will have a bigger challenge of servicing a larger populace, which can potentially cause a backlog in hospitals. We don’t want the situation to spiral out of control, and we certainly don’t want to become like other countries who have recorded hundreds of deaths. I’m adamant that we can win this fight, but it’s up to us. I strongly believe that we can flatten the coronavirus curve. People need to understand that the virus doesn’t move, it’s only the people who move it. If we stop moving, then the virus will also stop moving. I plead with our people to be responsible so that we can save mankind,” ended Dr Mahlaba.
While Dr Mahlaba usually performs his medical duties at his private surgery when he is on leave, the Newcastillian and Pixelfish Marketing commends him as he seeks to assist our community during this trying time.
