The Men’s Health Clinic at Pinetown Clinic, an initiative originally launched as a pilot project by the National Department of Health in 2022, has been hailed as a groundbreaking success, drawing thousands of men monthly and improving health outcomes in the community.
Due to the overwhelming demand, the project has been expanded to five other municipal clinics including Chesterville, Mpola, Lamontville, Mzamo and Savanna Park.
Mziwamandla Mthembu, Senior Manager for Primary Healthcare in eThekwini Municipality, explained that the programme was developed to address the low turnout of men at primary healthcare facilities.
“The numbers of men attending clinics compared to women were very low, and the department wanted to understand why. We started this project in 2022 at Pinetown as a pilot. Because of the growing demand, we expanded it. However, services for men are still available in all clinics, the Men’s Health Clinic simply allows us to provide more focused attention,” said Mthembu.
At the Pinetown Men’s Health Clinic there is a dedicated space and targeted services for men. These include standard primary healthcare, voluntary medical male circumcision, and prostate cancer screening. The City has also trained male nurses specifically assigned to these dedicated sections.
Zodwa Mthembu, Nursing Services Manager at Pinetown Clinic, said there has been seen a significant growth in patient numbers.
“We were seeing about 1 000 men a month. Now we are over 2 000 monthly. The feedback has been incredible. Men appreciate the separate space, they report feeling seen and heard.”
She added that since establishing the Men’s Health Clinic they have seen a significant improvement in patient adherence to medication, particularly for chronic conditions like HIV.
“They now feel comfortable. They know the service is fast and respectful, and they keep coming back. We’ve also managed to screen many men for prostate cancer, some of whom were unaware of early signs until we tested them,” she said.
The clinic's outreach efforts include campaigns at taxi ranks, hostels, and community events. It has also been promoted via media platforms and partnerships with community healthcare workers.
Head of Health in the City Rosemary Van Heerden said: “The facilities are still open to everyone, but these six clinics specifically have sections within them that are exclusively for men only."
She said the goal is to continue growing this number to meet the ongoing need.
Regular patient at the clinic Sfiso Xaba, said the clinic's impact has been life-changing.
“I am very pleased with this clinic, especially because of how fast the services are. This is my third time coming back and it has helped me so much, not only for what I came in for, but I’ve been advised on other health issues too. It’s also nice to speak with other men in line, share experiences and advice. I always tell other men not to be afraid of clinics.”