A special ceremony was held to thank healthcare workers at Mossel Bay in the Western Cape, for their sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The past two years were a harrowing experience for many who lost loved ones and colleagues, and health workers bore the brunt of it.
The Garden Route Casino Community Trust, the Mossel Bay Municipality, and the Western Cape Health Department came together to show their gratitude toward local healthcare workers. Amid the long exhausting hours of work, while also dealing with the loss of loved ones and colleagues, they never stopped serving their communities.
“Just because the pressure has eased in terms of the pandemic, we don’t want to forget the level of effort and personal sacrifice each and every one of these frontline workers have made. Sometimes a small thank you can go a very long way and just recognising these people and not forgetting the fact they went so far above and beyond the call of duty in their efforts during the pandemic,” says the Chairperson of the Trust, Ryan Nicholas.
Western Cape Minister of Health, Dr. Nomafrench Mbombo, was also there to express her appreciation.
“ We really appreciate what they’ve done, they did very well. Also, Mossel Bay did very well with the vaccinations, noting even before that, some of the clinics managed to negotiate themselves together with the funders like PetroSA to be able to get money for those clinics. So we really appreciate what they’re doing.”
A special ceremony to honour Mossel Bay healthcare workers:
Sr Sjaneel Bush, from the Mossel Bay Hospital, says there were times they felt there was no end in sight.
“During the COVID-19 period, sometimes you just felt so down, you just went to work because you know people need you. Just knowing that someone took note of what you did. That made it more special.”
Dr. Juliana van Jaarsveld says they appreciate the gratitude shown. “It’s nice to know that somebody has noticed what we’ve been doing through the past two years, the hardships that affected each and every employee. We just want to say thank you, we really appreciate the opportunity to be thanked in this way.”
Sr Ida Kiewiet, from the D’Almeida Clinic, says while many are still mourning the loss of loved ones, they will keep following their calling.
“Thank you very much that someone is thinking of us as survivors, as health workers. Although we lost a lot of colleagues, friends, and family. One of our grandchildren’s wife passed at 30. Three months in a coma due to COVID-19 and she didn’t make it. For me, it was really a terrible time but thank you for this, that we can still get up and do what we have to do.”
The healthcare workers each received a certificate and were treated to a delicious dinner.
To say “thank you” for their sacrifices at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Garden Casino Community Trust together with Mosse Bay Municipality hosted a dinner in honour of frontline workers. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/3IafcpQadN
— Sphiwe Hobasi (@MrCow_man) July 7, 2022
Healthcare workers lost their lives:
![[File Image]: A nurse at one of South Africa's hospital during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/HOSPITAL.jpg)
