November 27, 2003
By Tshepiso Mogotsi
THE mayor of Johannesburg, Amos Masondo, formally opened a new R1.2-million Elias Motsoaledi Clinic in Mzimhlope, Soweto, on Wednesday.
The clinic, which has been operating since June, was named after African National Congress stalwart Elias Motsoaledi in recognition of his role in the fight against apartheid.
Motsoaledi, who died on the day of President Nelson Mandela's inauguration in 1994, spent 26 years on Robben Island and was elected to the ANC's national executive after his release from prison.
The new clinic would add to the City's capacity to deal with health care challenges - including HIV/Aids education, the mayor said. "The City's ultimate goal is to reach out to every citizen and provide information, care and support," Masondo said.
That patients now had a shorter distance to travel to receive health care "will ensure that the number of people in the neighbouring hospitals is reduced and save costs by ensuring that only critical cases are attended to at hospitals and tertiary care institutions," Masondo said.
Illnesses that characterised the area, such as tuberculosis, malnutrition, diarrhoea, upper respiratory diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/Aids, diabetes and hypertension, were poverty related, the mayor said.
The clinic, with a staff of seven qualified health care practitioners, will be able to treat both adults and children, assist expectant mothers, and offer family planning services. The clinic will run immunisation programmes and deal with communicable diseases, like tuberculosis, and offer health care for patients with STDs. Free HIV/Aids counselling and testing will also be available.
The clinic will be able to deal with 4 000 patients a month.
Motsoaledi's family were the guests of honour at Wednesday's ceremony, which was also attended by primary school children and senior citizens from Mzimhlope.
Other guests included health officials from local and national government, mayoral committee member responsible for health, councillor Prema Naidoo, councillors from various political parties and city officials.
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