11 June 2015 Volume :3 Issue :28
Dermatology bags MEC’s Award
Caption: Dr Ncoza Dlova, MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo, Professor Anisa Mosam and Dr Cebisile Sibisi.UKZN department of Dermatology, under the leadership of Dr Ncoza Dlova, and Professor Anisa Mosam received special recognition for service excellence through outstanding innovation and best practices in the public sector from KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo and acting Director-General of health Dr Lindiwe Simelane.
The award followed the relaunch of the Dermatology Department’s revamped Skin Clinic at King Edward Vlll Hospital. The team received the MASEA Special Recognition Award at a ceremony held in Durban.
The Special Recognition Award is accorded to employees/teams/institutions who have been nominated at various provincial, national and other competitions. The segment also includes long service awards for those employees who have achieved 45 and more years of continuous service.
Dlova said it felt good to see her team’s hard work acknowledged by the Department of Health (DoH), ‘The whole department of dermatology is ecstatic. It’s wonderful to know that hard work is recognised and rewarded.’
King Edward Hospital’s Medical Manager Dr Linda Mtshali nominated Dlova and her team for the accolade.
Dlova said her team is excited about the recognitions, from the nursing staff, registrars, consultants and patients. ‘Everyone in our department lives by our departmental motto: “together each achieves more: TEAM”.
‘The team felt a great sense of achievement for their contribution to such a successful initiative. They sacrificed time with their families on Saturdays to oversee workers at the skin clinic,’ she said.
Dlova is particularly grateful to Mosam and their colleagues for sharing her vision and for their unyielding support in all that the department strives for, and Registrars who donated their time and money.’
Sister Thabisile Duma, who has been in the department for 18 years, was visibly happy about the achievement, ‘This has never happened before. We are very happy to be acknowledged in this manner. It shows that our department is doing very well.’ Duma said it is great to work with Dr Dlova and she loves the way she has reformed the department into a great place.
‘We are very happy, our hard work eventually paid off. We are also happy about the improved client service and overall attitude of staff towards patients,’ said KEH Nurse Thembani Khumalo.
Dlova, who has been a Dermatologist for 17 years, said when she first joined the department as a registrar there were no African Dermatologists in the province of KZN, and there were only two other African Dermatologists in the country. Presently there are 11 African Dermatologists who qualified from NRMSM, 80% of whom work in either rural areas or in the academic sector.
She has created a nurturing environment, mentoring registrars in preparation for their specialist exams, research careers and commitment to public sector service, as well as development of Dermatology as a leading academic field.
Nombuso Dlamini
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