Deputy Minister of Health hands over two more NHI ready clinic

Two state-of-the-art clinics will officially be handed-over to the community during a ceremony to be attended by the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, Eastern Cape Premier, Mr Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane and MEC of Health, Ms Sindiswa Gomba at the OR Tambo District,

The two clinics forms part of the 8 new National Health Insurance (NHI) compliant  clinics to be handed-over by the end of the month. They also include four other clinics recently opened by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize and MEC of Health, Ms Sindiswa Gomba, and two others to be handed-over to the same district by the end of November. All these 8 clinics were funded by the National Department of Health as part of the national facility improvement project for NHI.

Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla has said that the Department of Health through the clinics will be fulfil its commitment to improve the quality of the life by bringing basic services closer to the people, especially those in the deep rural areas. This commitment also forms part of the universal declaration of human rights.

This is a giant step towards the realisation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), of which NHI strives to achieve. “Never in the history of this country has there been a district that opened so many clinics within a short space of time. Opening these clinics is not just an event, but it is a milestone worthy of celebration. This community has waited for far too long and we cannot delay the delivery of quality of health care services any further, said the Deputy Minister”.

Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla

The hand-over coincides with the public hearings on the NHI Bill across the country. It is the government’s intention to move like a well-oiled machine, so that when the time for implementing the NHI comes, we are ready.

In preparation for NHI implementation, which will follow the passing of the Bill into law, the National Department of Health with the support of the provincial department, built these clinics in the OR Tambo District, to fast-track facility improvement. These clinics also meet the Primary Health Care (PHC) set qualification criteria.

One of the two new clinics to be opened tomorrow which is Gengqe Clinic, replaces an old mobile clinic, which operated in King Sabatha Dalindyebo (KSD) Sub District. The construction of Gengqe clinic started on the 28 July 2015 and reached completion