National Air Mercy Trust Board Membership for Ophthalmology HoD

The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Head of Discipline and Ophthalmology Chief Specialist, Dr Nombuso Mathe, has been appointed as a board member of the South African Red Cross Air Mercy Service Trust (AMS).

The AMS is a non-profit aero-medical rescue organisation working in partnership with the various pDepartments of Health to ensure the national health system is strengthened through the provision of rescue, air ambulance and rural health outreach services.

The system’s mission is to facilitate access to healthcare for those rendered most vulnerable by geographical, social or economic inequity and, in so doing, reduce vulnerability of at-risk communities and judiciously improve the quality of life.

Mathe’s extensive experience in ophthalmology and healthcare spans both state and private medical sectors. From very early in her career she has been a passionate advocate for outreach.

A recognised leader in eye care, recently received an honorary award in Healthcare Leadership for her contribution to healthcare locally and regionally from the African Health Excellence Awards. She serves on several local and global committees that oversee various aspects of healthcare.

UKZN’s ophthalmology discipline has over many years supported outreach activities in the form of cataract surgery outreach in rural districts in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) – The initiatives which have contributed towards reducing preventable blindness and bridging the gap of lack of access to this specialised service.

The discipline’s mission is to provide, in a conscientious and compassionate manner, the best possible ophthalmic care for patients; undertake the training of postgraduate doctors academically, technically and ethically in ophthalmology; provide undergraduate teaching of ophthalmology, and assist in nursing training in the discipline.

Through this new appointment, Mathe hopes her strategic insight and unwavering commitment to serving vulnerable populations will strengthen AMS’s mission of delivering life-saving medical services to those in greatest need.

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Words: Lunga Memela

Photo: Sethu Dlamini