Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela will officially open the newly built Parys Clinic on Tuesday morning.
She is also expected to embark on a public outreach campaign popularly known as “Taking Primary Health Care Services to the People” at an open space next to Phehellang Secondary School in Tumahole township.
A joint statement by the provincial health department and Ngwathe Local Municipality said the opening and handover of the Parys Clinic, which was built by Sasol, is a significant service delivery milestone.
It said the old clinic situated within the Ngwathe Municipality Building in the town was built in 1970 along the racially discriminatory spatial planning of the past.
“The layout and size of the old facility was not complying with the ideal clinic standards that is designed to serve all people from different racial and economic classifications,” read part of the statement.
“The pharmacy was outside the clinic and clients were exposed to all types of weather conditions while waiting for their medication,” it added.
The joint statement said since the advent of democracy, the community has been requesting a better health facility and the health department started negotiations with Sasol Mine for funding of R12.5-million.
Ngwathe municipality provided a piece of land measuring 2 700 m². The new clinic has a floor space of 730 m².
“The . . . clinic will be operating as an eight-hour primary healthcare facility that is well-placed to prevent diseases at an early stage or make the necessary primary medical interventions to patients at an early stage of the progression of diseases.
“However, in instances where the disease overwhelms the capacity of primary healthcare practitioners, it will be empowered to refer patients to Parys District Hospital (Level 1), Boitumelo Regional Hospital in Kroonstad (Level 2) and tertiary hospitals in Bloemfontein.”
Free State Health MEC Montseng Tsiu said in the statement the opening and handover of the clinic “will complete yet another significant milestone in the infrastructure development efforts of the Department of Health whilst cementing valuable cooperative relations with Sasol as a valuable corporate citizen that responds to the needs of the community whenever called upon to do so”.
In addition to the opening of the clinic, Ngwathe municipality will also receive from Sasol Mine fire engines and rescue and rapid response vehicles valued at about R3-million.
“We are delighted to receive these service delivery instruments that will change the face of our community for the better by enabling us to respond faster to their needs,” said Ngwathe executive mayor Victoria de Beer Mthombeni. – Staff Reporter