By Nangamso Mabindla
15 May 2006

PUBLIC sector nurses were given their dispensing licence certificates, enabling them to hand out medicine, at the annual Buffalo City Municipality Health Day, held at the East London City Hall on Friday, 12 May.

Mkhululi Nkohla, the City's general manager of heath services, handed out the licences on the day, which this year had the theme "Enrich your mind, empower yourself".

The day is held to educate communities about a variety of health issues, including cancer awareness, rape and domestic violence, and HIV and Aids. Scores of Buffalo City citizens flocked to the City Hall to learn about the health issues affecting their communities.

However, this year health day not only focused on those issues; it was a health day with a difference as the city's nurses pledged to serve the people.

Explaining the importance of receiving their dispensing licence certificates, Nkohla said: "We are happy that we sent our nurses for training because they will now be able to hand out medicine to people. Our aim was for our nurses to deliver the best possible service to our people."

It was important for the public healthcare services to be on par with their private sector counterparts. "We are one of the few public institutions to send nurses on the dispensing course, and we are happy that they will now be in a better position to serve people to the best of their ability," Nkohla said.