As we continue our focus around HOPE for Babies, today we meet another care worker, Elfrieda Leroux. Elfrieda joined the HOPE Cape Town Family in October 2016 as Community Health worker at the Scottsdene Clinic. Since April 2016, she has been working for HOPE for Babies at Tygerberg Hospital.
Elfrieda grew up on a farm in Paarl where she spent most of her childhood. At the age of 8, she moved to Kuilsriver where she completed her schooling and worked in a factory for a few years. In 2010, she joined Scottsdene Clinic situated in Kraaifontein, where she worked as a TB assistant – conducting sputum tests and ensuring patients received and were adherent to their medication.
Elfrieda always wanted to maximize her knowledge, grasping as much information as she could which resulted in her gaining enough knowledge to become a drug resistant counsellor. What she loved about this role was the fact that as a mobile unit, they were fortunate enough to travel to various clinics. It was through this interaction with various HOPE Cape Town staff members that she decided to join the HOPE Cape Town family in 2016.
As a care worker, Elfrieda enjoys the interaction with mothers, especially those who are new mothers. Part of her role is to ensure that mothers and their babies are tested for HIV before being discharged and provide counselling to those who need it. When babies are tested after birth and the results are negative, it does not mean that it will remain negative – it could change, however only after 18 months, once the baby has developed its own antibodies can the final status be determined. During this period, mothers are encouraged to remain adherent to their medication. There are times that patients forget their medication at home before being admitted and for Elfrieda, its important to communicate this to the doctor beforehand as it plays a vital role.
Some of the challenges experienced is dealing with young mothers who considers abortion. During this difficult time, Elfrieda is always there to provide the necessary support and encouragement and the highlights for her is seeing those same mothers enjoying their precious bundles of joy!
