​Koketso Maraba
 
Sebokeng Regional Hospital has officially launched the "I Serve with a Smile" (ISWAS) campaign, a provincial initiative aimed at transforming patient care through empathy, kindness, and dignity. 
The campaign, provincialised in 2023 by MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, was formally rolled out at the hospital on Wednesday, 30 July 2025.
The ISWAS campaign focuses on improving patient experiences by encouraging healthcare workers to go beyond clinical duties and offer compassionate, human-centered care. It also promotes kindness among staff, fostering stronger teams and better service delivery.
"Despite the challenges we face, our hospital remains steadfast in its commitment to Serve with a Smile. This campaign is about more than service delivery, it's about how we make people feel when they walk through our doors," said Dr. Peter Motlhaoleng, Acting CEO of the hospital. 
Dr. Motlhaoleng highlighted recent improvements at the hospital, including the launch of the Cerebral Palsy Centre of Excellence, installation of a new CT scanner, and development of sustainable food gardens, all aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and holistic healing.
Representing MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko at the event, Dr. Salamina Hlahane, Director in the Office of the CEO and Nursing Services, emphasised the emotional impact of care to patients.
"Patients may forget what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel. Care without compassion is not true care," she said.
For patients like Gladys Malamba, the campaign's impact is already being felt. Malamba who recently gave birth at Sebokeng Hospital was elated while sharing her experience.
"I did not know where the clinic was when I arrived," she recalled. "But the staff didn't just point me in the right direction. They walked with me from the gate all the way inside. I felt supported and cared for."
"I was scared and overwhelmed when I went to the hospital to deliver my baby. But the staff treated me with patience and kindness. It was nothing like I had experienced before, where you feel ignored in a busy space. Here, I felt seen," said Malamba.
She went on to express her gratitude towards porters who wheeled her to the theatre with compassion, the nurses who ensured her comfort and safety, and the kitchen staff who accommodated her dietary needs.
"To them, maybe it was just their job. But to me, it meant everything. As a mother, I was worried for my baby, and their support helped me stay strong," she added.
As the ISWAS campaign continues to grow and improve the public healthcare system, Sebokeng Hospital has acknowledged that true healing begins not with a prescription, but with a smile, a helping hand, and a commitment to treating every patient with humanity.