With the month of November being Men’s Health Month, NPO Nyanga Men Empowerment co-hosted an awareness drive on Tuesday morning with various community organisations at Nyanga Community Health Centre (CHC).
The event started with a 5km walk from the Nyanga rugby stadium.
The organisation’s chairperson Xolani Feni urged men to use the clinic and seek help with the relevant organisations when they need it.
He said the problem with men is that they want to pour out their challenges in taverns rather than in the places where they can get assistance. “We decided to have this day because we are in a month to signify men’s health. But most importantly we saw the challenges men face. We know that most men are scared to use facilities like the clinic but we are here to say it is safe to use them. There should be no worry about coming to the clinic with challenges. We want them to be more used to the health facility than their drinking spots,” he urged.
Mr Feni said he called everyone to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of diseases among men and boys.
He said that men’s health should be a priority each month. He added that he was excited to have different NGOs and government departments in one area to discuss issues that affect men. He encouraged the cooperation of all the organisations.
He said he was happy that the few men who attended the event would also pass the message on to others.
Addressing the attendees, the Western Cape MEC for Health and Wellness, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo said throughout the world, there is still a persistent trend for men to overlook and take their health for granted.
Whether it be due to stigmas or pride, many men often do not go for regular check-ups or have a proactive mindset towards their health.
She said men face unique health challenges that require awareness, being proactive, and open conversations.
“The pressure as a society that we put on men is over. We always say men are the providers but there is a high rate of unemployment. We must not have high expectations from them. We always talk about gender equality but when it comes to money and providing we exclude ourselves,” she said.
She appealed to women to take cognisance of the unemployment rate and know that as women they also contribute heavily to men’s mental health.
She said psychosocial and physical health weigh heavily on men. “For us to truly further wellbeing in our communities, it is essential to foster honest conversations that create awareness about men’s health. As women we raise the men we hate but loved them when they were boys. What changed when they were men?”
Different organisations like the University of the Western Cape, Anova Health Institute, Impilo, the sport council and Nyanga Health club were also there to support the day.
The Anova Health Institute said it offers a valuable space for men to access healthcare facilities and openly discuss their concerns in a safe environment, while others like the Nyanga sports council and Nyanga Health Club recommended that men in their 30s have a routine check-up every other year; for men in their 40s and older, it must be every year.
Melikhaya Nyakathi of the Nyanga Health Club called on all to come join the club in their exercise sessions at Nyanga rugby stadium at 6.30pm everyday. He said people should take care of their health by eating healthy and exercising.
Residents accessed mobile health and screening services by ANOVA and the University of the Western Cape and others.
