MR OUPA RAMIDUSA BRINGS HEALTH AND HOPE TO CHILD PROTECTION DIALOGUE

By Tholakele Makena

• The Department of Health has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting child protection through community outreach, education, and frontline health services.
• At a recent engagement in Greater Letaba, health workers joined social workers and community members to address the growing concern of child sexual abuse.
• Professional Nurse Oupa Ramidusa called for active collaboration, saying education and timely intervention can change the lives of vulnerable children.

In a strong show of solidarity with child protection efforts, Mr Oupa Ramidusa, a 40-year-old professional nurse from Maphalle Clinic, joined the Department of Social Development’s community outreach programme at Mokwakwaila Community Hall to raise awareness about child sexual abuse and promote health education.
The outreach formed part of build-up activities leading to the Child Protection Month commemoration in the Greater Letaba Municipality. Mr Ramidusa, representing the Department of Health, emphasised the importance of meeting communities where they are, ensuring access to both essential services and critical information.
“We are here to support the campaign against child sexual abuse while also offering basic health services,” he said. “Our goal is to help communities by providing screenings, family planning, HIV testing, and health consultations.”
In addition to medical services, the Department of Health team distributed health resources and provided nutritional support. Mr Ramidusa highlighted that many children who come through health facilities are survivors of abuse, making such engagements vital for early intervention and prevention.
“At the Department of Health, we regularly see children who are victims of sexual abuse. That is why we stand fully behind this initiative. We also ensure that such cases are reported through the appropriate channels,” he explained.
The collaboration between departments reflects a shared commitment to safeguarding vulnerable children and promoting overall wellbeing. It also affirms that public health workers play a crucial role not only in healing but also in protecting and educating communities.
By combining awareness, compassion, and service delivery, the outreach reinforced a powerful message: building safer communities requires collective action and care from all sectors of society.