Initiative offers free mental health support to SA's frontline
South Africa's frontline healthcare workers will be offered more mental and emotional support – free of charge - through an initiative by the Healthcare Workers Care Network.
Experts say frontline workers are often exhausted, stressed, and most at high risk of contracting illnesses.
Cassey Chambers, who's with depression and anxiety group SADAG, says these sessions will help workers cope with the stress of fighting the pandemic.
"We forget that healthcare workers are people too. Not only are they fighting the virus on the frontlines, dealing with the resources and the increase in the virus and deaths.
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"This is all a very difficult working environment. A lot of these healthcare workers are also dealing with their own anxiety and stresses around COVID-19.
"There's all this that impacts the mental health. We're hoping that providing this initiative, the Healthcare Workers Care Network, that we can encourage as many healthcare workers to reach out for help." she says.