Medical care in South Africa

Soon we have to have our annual check-up at the dentist with the whole family. In the Netherlands I was always frightened for these events and if I had to come back for a treatment I used to have stomach-ache hours before the appointment. After my first visit to the dentist here I’m cured of that. Alex is a very nice guy, he is good with the children and he makes me feel at ease. Since I am here in South Africa my old grey fillings have been replaced with new white ones and although it is still not fun to sit there with your mouth open, I never had stomach-ache before these treatments. Of course the fact that they don’t even ask if you want anaesthetics but just give it to you (something that you have to specifically request in the Netherlands) could have something to do with it as well…
After a treatment the assistant always calls the next morning

to ask if you are alright, another thing I never experienced in the Netherlands. The doctors here are very nice too. Our first doctor here in Hoedspruit was an Afrikaner and we got along very well. He did most of the check-ups for my pregnancies. Only two months before my second child was born I had to go to another doctor since he unfortunately was moving to Australia. The new doctor, a woman, was very nice too and when I had to go to her partner one time for an ear problem he also turned out to be very good. He was very friendly and explained what was going to happen. Unfortunately these doctors also left our town but after a little search we found a nice doctor in Phalaborwa where we are still very happy. I noticed that most General Practitioners here, in the rural area, often also work in the local hospital and have a much broader range of work than in the Netherlands for instance. All doctors we had here not only do normal deliveries here in the local hospital but caesareans as well. Off course you have specialists and since our medical aid covers treatment in a private clinic, both our children were born in the Medi-Clinic in Nelspruit with a gynaecologist present. Again the care was very good although there is a big difference between state hospitals and private hospitals, so unfortunately not everyone has access to the same high standard care.

Regards from the bush
Miriam