Durban’s poorest of the poor and their children deserve access to quality primary healthcare, regardless of who they are and where they are from, and especially those who are most marginalised.
Central Durban has also become a magnet for the homeless destitute, who try to eke out a living through begging, sex work or other means of survival. Many live in parks, alleys and shelters; many have mental health problems or are substance abusers.
People from marginalised groups often have complex socioeconomic and psychosocial problems. These include addiction complications, stigma, food insecurity, fragile accommodation, voicelessness, police harassment, and lack of access to ablutions. These problems make the management of serious and widespread chronic conditions such as TB, substance abuse and HIV particularly challenging. Over 25% of the people we test are HIV+.
Many people fall through the gaps in conventional health systems.
Our clinic is called Usizo Lwethu. This means ‘our help’ in isiZulu.
Usizo Lwethu is based at the Denis Hurley Centre and also provides outreach services off-site.
For more information about various aspects of the clinic, click on the following links: