Community members have free health tests before the opening the new R33.4 million Westbury Clinic in Du Plessis Street in Westbury, 6 December 2016. The new clinic will provide primary healthcare services to approximately 554,394 residents of Westbury in the City of Johannesburg. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
In a recent media statement, the City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba announced that since the introduction of an extended and integrated service delivery strategy in Primary Health Care facilities, the City of Joburg has now rolled out this strategy to nine additional clinics, bringing the total to 22, reports Roodepoort Record.
“This is one of the many strategies that the city has implemented to improve health service delivery in our communities. Accessing services during extended hours eases overcrowding at facilities with high patient volumes, reduces patient waiting times and has the potential to improve retention in care – particularly of patients with chronic conditions such as TB and HIV/ AIDS.
“It also offers patients the flexibility and ample time to attend to their personal needs instead of wasting time at our clinics,” he said.
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CoJ Mayor on a visit to one of the City’s clinics. Photo: Supplied.
According to Mashaba, between July 2018 and February 2019, a total of 799,306 patients were seen at the clinics offering extended hours of service. Of these, 82.6% (657,330) were registered during the normal shift of 7am to 4pm during weekdays, whilst the rest were registered during the extended hours shifts, which includes the 7am to 1.30pm shift on weekends and public holidays.
The following clinics now offer extended hours of service:
“MMC Phalatse and I met the clinic staff and several patients, which gave us a feel for the demands placed on the facility and its staff. There is still a great need for experienced medical professionals to help lessen the workload placed on our medical staff.
“It is with this in mind that the City of Joburg intends engaging with retired doctors who are still registered with the Health Professionals Council of SA, to see whether they could step forward and offer their expertise on a pro bono basis. This would fall within the scope of A Re Sebetseng, our monthly initiative that aims to create a more livable city,” he said.
“More information on this campaign will be communicated imminently, and I would like to encourage the many retired medical doctors who are willing to offer their time and expertise to this noble initiative to come forward and work with us in this regard.”
He concluded by saying, ” I would like to thank MMC Phalatse for her commitment to bringing primary healthcare to our residents. Her work doesn’t go unnoticed. I would also like to thank the members of our coalition government – the IFP, ACDP, COPE, UDM, and the FF Plus for their continued support in bringing change to the residents of the City of Joburg. Though not a member of our coalition, my thanks also goes to the EFF, which votes with us on an issue-by-issue basis, for its efforts in helping to bring services to our residents.”
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