Patients can’t wait for Strand’s R28m facility
LIKE pensioner Novusile Mhlahlo, long-distance walks for thousands of Nomzamo residents in Strand to access medication will be a thing of the past as a R28 million health facility will be opened in five months’ time.
Community leaders are rejoicing that after so many years the area will get a health facility of its own.
Although she said five months was a long time to wait, the bed-ridden Mhlahlo said it would cost her nothing and would take her less than five minutes to get to the new facility.
As Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant and Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo visited the new Nomzamo Community Day Centre yesterday to inspect the progress of the facility, Mhlahlo expressed her happiness as she lay on her bed, unable to walk or move around her house.
Her only child Wanele, 19, dropped out of school to care for her mother and take her to a health facility about 1.6km away, where they had to spend R50 each for a return trip.
“It is good news that such a facility is opened in this area because previously we had to go far to get medical assistance and pay lots of money.
“The facility is right on my doorstep, on my own street, and it would cost me nothing to get there. Five months is a long time to wait, but when the time comes, I will be the first to use the facility,” she said.
Fellow resident Barbara Manema, 43, also expressed her happiness about the construction of the facility.
“It was long overdue and would help so many people in this area. People had to go as far as Helderberg to get medical attention, but that would be a thing of the past. From inspecting it from the outside, it is clear that it will be a state-of-the-art facility,” said Manema.
The area’s ward councillor, Chantal Cerfontein, said the facility would help about 18 000 people living in Lwandle, Asanda and Nomzamo.
“It would make a huge impact in terms of travelling and costs to the people.
“Chronic patients go to Helderberg, which is not a walking distance, especially for the elderly. We are grateful,” said Cerfontein.
Mbombo said the construction of the facility was a direct response to the growing needs of the population of the Nomzamo area, which she said has grown exponentially over the years.
This has created pressure on the facilities that have been serving the area.
Nomzamo would offer a women’s health and baby unit, which would provide family planning, antenatal care, baby and child health.
There will also be a chronic clinic that would offer the provision of chronic medication, including health visits for antiretrovirals.
A pharmacy issuing scripts to about 5 200 patients a month, including a pre-packaged chronic medication collection point, would be on site.
The Nomzamo facility is scheduled for completion next month and the facility is set to open in October.