April 5, 2005
By Tabisa Mntengwana
THE Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) and the Reproductive Health Research Unit (RHRU) at the University of the Witwatersrand have struck a R17-million deal to give Hillbrow's medical facilities a facelift.
Through the health partnership, a Hillbrow health precinct will be set up. The streets will be revamped and health centres and dilapidated buildings in the vicinity upgraded. The health precinct is bordered by Kotze Street in the north, Smit Street in the south, Klein Street in the east and Joubert and Rissik Streets in the west.
King George and Esselen Streets are being transformed into more accessible and safer places. Already street lighting is being improved and walkways and pavements along the two streets are being refurbished, part of phase one of the project.
"The development will be a centre of excellence for primary health care, which will benefit the local community," said Agmat Badat, the JDA development manager.
Hillbrow is one of the most densely populated areas in the inner city and the project should give it a new lease of life. Badat said the primary focus of the partnership was "to deal with HIV/Aids in the inner city and other sicknesses".
Phase one of the development started in 2002, when the Wits research unit and the City jointly upgraded Esselen and King George Streets. The JDA joined the partnership 18 months later, to provide primary health care in the region.
The project is influenced by other developments in the inner city, like Constitution Hill, the upgrading of Braamfontein, Park Station and Joubert Park, and the Pietersen Street Residential Development. As part of setting up a healthcare precinct, the Johannesburg Mortuary in Hospital Street has been given additional parking space.
Upgrading the dilapidated buildings in the area will take place during phase two of the project, which is expected to be completed by December 2006. Phase two will incorporate refurbishing the Community Health Centre (CHC), to be completed in June 2005.
Once completed, some of the facilities offered at the Esselen Street Clinic will be accommodated at the CHC. "The upgrading of the centre will benefit the community and will offer better and up-to-standard medical facilities," Badat said. Funds of R5-million from the JDA and the City of Johannesburg have already been spent on the project.
The CHC will continue to provide basic healthcare facilities, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, family planning and other related services.
Also earmarked for development in the healthcare precinct are a dilapidated heritage building, the Hugh Solomon building, and a district health hospital.
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