Pretoria - Johannesburg residents can now access basic health services at 80 fixed and satellite clinics across the city, the municipality said on Wednesday.
"The range and quality of care and treatment are rapidly improving and patients with more severe conditions will be referred to hospitals and other medical facilities in the city," member of the Mayoral Committee for Health, Bengeza Mthombeni, said.
"We now have a clinic within easy access of every resident of Johannesburg... We are making progress to improve the quality of life and health of the people of the City," he explained.
The City has made improvements in tuberculosis control. Through an aggressive awareness campaign, the cure rate of newly diagnosed patients suffering from TB has grown from 54 percent in 2002, to over 76 percent currently.
Mthombeni said that seven more clinics were added to the list of facilities that provide anti-retroviral treatment for HIV/Aids, bringing the total number of clinics to 25.
"These services are progressively being expanded to eventually include all health facilities."
He also urged residents to make use of the free testing services available at city clinics. In addition to HIV testing, visitors to the clinics are now also screened for hypertension, blood sugar levels and pap smears are offered to female patients.
