Provincial Health MEC Dr Pumza Dyantyi officially opened and handed over a R3-million extension to the Middledrift Community Health Centre on Friday.
Sod turning was done on the grounds in July 2014 with the hope of accelerating service delivery in the community.
“This 24-hour facility services a population of more than 20000 people from 21 villages in the Nkonkobe sub-district, and is situated in the heart of Middledrift town, which contributes to the influx of patients to the facility,” Dyantyi said.
She said the centre serviced more than 10 clinics, which in turn serviced a growing population, which was why the structure had to be boosted to meet the needs of the community.
Dyantyi said even as the province was gearing itself up for the future National Health Insurance scheme, one of the requirements the department had to meet was to provide bigger consulting rooms at these facilities, “which this additional structure has catered for”.
It comprises four consulting rooms, an observation room, a waiting area, a bigger pharmacy with dispensary, an autoclave room or pressure chamber where equipment and supplies are sterilised, an office, a data room, a counselling room and an X-ray room.
Together these facilities are geared towards reducing waiting times for community members.
Dyantyi was most proud of the counselling room, saying at least now patients would experience a level of confidentiality when a procedure required counselling.
She said there was also a play area for the children of the community on the premises, as the centre was close to the local school.
Dyantyi said the X-ray room did not have equipment as yet, but once the equipment had been procured, radiographers would be hired to operate in the space and add to the facility’s staffing numbers.
She also handed over one of two mobile clinics to the community.
“In our province, people have been complaining about overcrowding at our facilities, so we are addressing that,” she said.
“We are doing these extensions in some other clinics as well. During the course of this year, there are quite a few that will be opening.”
She said one such project was near completion in Mount Frere.
The Middledrift community also saw the handover of park homes at the Njwaxa Clinic, where extensions were also recently completed, including three consulting rooms and additional toilets catering for people with disabilities.
MEC opens Middledrift health centre extension
Sod turning was done on the grounds in July 2014 with the hope of accelerating service delivery in the community.
“This 24-hour facility services a population of more than 20000 people from 21 villages in the Nkonkobe sub-district, and is situated in the heart of Middledrift town, which contributes to the influx of patients to the facility,” Dyantyi said.
She said the centre serviced more than 10 clinics, which in turn serviced a growing population, which was why the structure had to be boosted to meet the needs of the community.
Dyantyi said even as the province was gearing itself up for the future National Health Insurance scheme, one of the requirements the department had to meet was to provide bigger consulting rooms at these facilities, “which this additional structure has catered for”.
It comprises four consulting rooms, an observation room, a waiting area, a bigger pharmacy with dispensary, an autoclave room or pressure chamber where equipment and supplies are sterilised, an office, a data room, a counselling room and an X-ray room.
Together these facilities are geared towards reducing waiting times for community members.
Dyantyi was most proud of the counselling room, saying at least now patients would experience a level of confidentiality when a procedure required counselling.
She said there was also a play area for the children of the community on the premises, as the centre was close to the local school.
Dyantyi said the X-ray room did not have equipment as yet, but once the equipment had been procured, radiographers would be hired to operate in the space and add to the facility’s staffing numbers.
She also handed over one of two mobile clinics to the community.
“In our province, people have been complaining about overcrowding at our facilities, so we are addressing that,” she said.
“We are doing these extensions in some other clinics as well. During the course of this year, there are quite a few that will be opening.”
She said one such project was near completion in Mount Frere.
The Middledrift community also saw the handover of park homes at the Njwaxa Clinic, where extensions were also recently completed, including three consulting rooms and additional toilets catering for people with disabilities.
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