Better healthcare for Gcilima residents

The opening of a clinic on the South Coast will relieve queues at existing healthcare facilities and bring services closer to the people.

Primary healthcare services in the rural village of Gcilima, on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, have been given a boost thanks to the opening of a state-of-the-art clinic that will offer better services than the existing mobile clinic.

The R3-million Khanyisizwe facility has brought relief to more than 8 000 residents who previously received treatment from a mobile clinic or at a clinic 10 km away. Community member Babhekile Cele said if she missed the mobile clinic date, she had to walk more than 10 km to collect her medication at Thembalesizwe.

“This clinic is going to help us a lot. We are very grateful for it,” she said.

The facility is a donation from Greg Evans, of First Love Ministries, which also supports various local community projects in the area.

Speaking at the handover, Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo thanked Chief Thobigunya Xolo for approaching First Love Ministries and asking them to build the facility for his people.

 “Today we can safely declare that the people of this area are going to be healthier and live longer because they have a health facility that will be providing preventative and promotive health services, a pick-up point for chronic medication, Phila Mntwana child wellness services and a base for the performing of Operational Sukuma Sakhe activities,” he said.

He urged healthcare professionals to always treat patients with care and compassion.

“The healthcare profession is unlike others. If a teacher does not do his or her job, children will fail. But those children will come back next year. But if a nurse is busy on Whatsapp on her phone instead of taking care of a patient, that patient will die and be buried.”

Chief Xolo thanked First Love Ministries and the provincial Department of Health for transforming the health services within the community.