Pretoria – Standing in long queues and being exposed to the elements while waiting to receive healthcare in Lesetlheng village near Moruleng will soon be a thing of the past.
Thanks to a joint venture between the Department of Health, Sun City, Bakgatla Ba Kgafela and Correctional Services, the community of Lesetlheng village will receive decent health care at a refurbished clinic.
This follows a R315 000 investment by Sun City International to refurbish Lesethleng clinic, which is currently being refurbished by inmates from Mogwase Correctional Centre.
The investment has increased the number and size of consultation rooms and waiting areas, enabling more community members to be served, and eliminating the need to wait for service outside the clinic.
Soon after his appointment, North West Health MEC Dr Magome Masike visited various clinics in the province to assess the conditions under which people receive healthcare and the work conditions for medical staff.
It is after visiting Lesetlheng clinic and other like it that the MEC ordered that health facilities be fixed. To date, various clinics have received a facelift, while others are being constructed as they are beyond the state of refurbishing.
Masike, who recently visited the clinic to check on progress, said the department -- together with the stakeholders -- was giving the people of Lesetlheng hope that it was possible for them to get good healthcare.
“As government and the Department of Health in particular, we have a mandate to provide quality healthcare services for our people. We need to work extremely hard to make sure that our people, the majority of whom have been previously disadvantaged, have increased access to healthcare services,” Masike said.
He, however, admitted that the province was facing a huge infrastructure backlog and a public-private partnership was the answer to the challenge.
“We need the private sector, and in particular the mining sector, to be on board and invest in development of health infrastructure in the province. By so doing, we will be investing in the health of our nation and a healthy nation is a productive nation.”
The refurbished clinic has welcomed by community members, including Selina Masilela, 70, who is impressed by the bigger space in the waiting room area.
“The clinic is now bigger and can accommodate more people, unlike before where it would be overcrowded and people queuing outside - which was a problem especially during rainy, windy, cold and very hot weather conditions,” said an elated Masilela, who is a retired nurse and also serves the Bakgatla Ba Kgafela Tribal Authority health desk.
Inmate Klass Molehlegi, 57, said: “I am thankful to the government for affording me an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the community of Lesetlheng village.” - SAnews.gov.za
