Affiliation with Ukhanyo Community Clinic

The Ukhanyo Community Clinic is a community mental health partnership initiated by the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Department of Psychiatry at Dora Nginza Hospital (DNH) and the Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. The name Ukhanyo means “light”or “enlightenment”. It was chosen to represent a beacon of hope in an impoverished sector of the community where access to mental health services is impeded by a number of factors including poverty and low levels of education.

A multi-disciplinary team (MDT) completes the assessment and management of children and older adults with psychological and psychiatric problems. Members of the team are drawn from the already existing MDT within the DNH Department of Psychiatry, while the rest of the team is made up of Nelson Mandela University Department of Psychology staff and students. The main advantage of the Ukhanyo Clinic has been the reduction of a long waiting list for psychological and psychiatric treatment. The multi-disciplinary team at Ukhanyo clinic includes the following professionals:

  • Psychiatric Registrar
  • Clinical Social Worker
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Clinical Psychologist