#ICYMI: Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre not shutting down

The business development manager of Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre, Teboho Katze reassured the community that the centre would not be closing.

This comes after rumours spread in the community that the health centre would no longer render its services.

“Contrary to persisting and unfounded rumours, the management of Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre hereby confirm that the clinic remains open and continues to provide much-needed high quality, high impact health care and social services to the general public,” Katze said.

He added that the rumours surfaced due to the department of health’s directive that HIV/TB patients currently receiving treatment at the clinic must be transferred to their nearest government facilities as soon as they became stable.

“We have been transferring patients as required, however, some patients misunderstood this to be a strategy to gradually reduce patient numbers because the clinic is shutting down. This is how the rumour started and continues.”

Katze said another incident which sparked the rumours was when road construction commenced outside the centre and the clinic’s signboards were removed to make way for excavation. “As weird as it sounds, this to them [the community] confirmed that the clinic is shutting down and so the rumour spread further.”

He added that due to the construction, the clinic’s main entrance had to be temporarily moved further up William Nicol Drive. The centre is open on weekdays from 7.30am to 4pm.

How do you view the construction in the community? Share your views on the Fourways Review Facebook page.