New R33m clinic for Westbury

HEALTHCARE AND COUNSELLING CENTRE Budget constraints mean more medical professionals can only be hired later – mayor.

People in the crime and drug hotspot of Westbury in Johannesburg have new hope in the form of a R33 million state-of-the-art health facility. Westbury Clinic was officially opened by mayor Herman Mashaba yesterday. He said it would provide access to quality primary healthcare for 550 000 residents.

“We will not only deal with healthcare, it is going to be a clinic that deals comprehensively with the health of our people, including lifestyle and dealing with HIV/ Aids-related matters,” he added.

The clinic was initially a R25 million project and construction began in April last year, according to the previous administration under former mayor Parks Tau. More facilities were added, with an R8 million cost surge.

The clinic has 18 consulting rooms, some of which are for social work. There is also an isolation room, youth chill room and a health promotion room.

It also has provision for emergency services.

“The clinic must be seen as the symbol of a new beginning in Johannesburg,” Mashaba said.

The clinic began operations yesterday, although budget constraints had hampered the hiring of additional staff. “We only have five professional nurses, so it is going to be a challenge. We will have to allocate money in the budget to hire professional staff,” said Mashaba. – Additional reporting

Pictures: Tracy Lee Stark LINING UP. Residents have free health tests before the official opening of the new R33 million Westbury Clinic yesterday.

READY FOR BUSINESS. A ward in the new Westbury Clinic.