Residents of Nellmapius in Mamelodi and surrounding areas are ecstatic over the proximity of health services brought to the community via a train at Eerste Fabrieke railway station.
The popular Phelophepa Health Care Train Clinic has recently been gaining more popularity with residents of Mamelodi as it reduces waiting times and long queues.
The healthcare train clinic is an initiative project owned by Transnet and offers medical health services to various communities around South Africa using train coaches that are stationed at various railway stations.
Train manager Bheki Mendlula said the healthcare train clinic is a rotating project that moves from one community to another to cover as many places as possible in the country.
He said the Phelophepa Health Care Train Clinic offers many of the health services that one may access at a clinic, including screening for breast cancer, HIV testing, high blood pressure, eye care treatment, dental care, and other emergency cases.
“The project was started around Covid-19 days for those who could not get access to hospitals and clinics.
“The mobile healthcare clinic is part of Transnet’s broader corporate social investment programme, which aims at giving back to the community,” said Mendlula.
He added that the clinic also serves as a learning institution for final-year healthcare students.
The clinic started rendering its health services at Eerste Fabrieke railway station from July 29 to August 2. They will be back from August 5 to 9, from 07:30 to 16:00.
“Those who are visiting clinics or hospitals for regular check-ups must continue to do so as we don’t involve ourselves in ailments that they are being treated at those facilities,” he added.
Mmabanna Msiza (88) from Mamelodi said she was very happy with the service she has received from the train clinic.
She said the nurses and doctors were very patient and “they are not shouting at us like they treat us at the local clinics and hospitals”.
Emily Mashaba (60) said she wished the Phelophepa initiative would be a permanent arrangement that could be accessed by residents daily.
She said local clinics and hospitals are always overcrowded, and sometimes patients are turned away and told to return the next day.
“Other issues with local clinics are that patients’ files go missing and patients end up spending the whole day at the clinic.”
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