New health clinics slated for Tshwane as district receives millions

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In September, OurHealth discovered hundreds of patient files being stored in a Tshwane clinic toilet due to lack of storage space (File photo)

New clinics are slated for inner city Pretoria as well as communities outside the city including Soshanguve, Refilwe, Kekana Staad and Saulsville, according to Pitsi.

He told OurHealth that 21 health facilities, including district health offices, were also scheduled for renovations. In particular, attention would be paid to expanding some health facilities in areas like Dark City, Ga-Rankuwa and Temba to better meet the requirements of piloting the National Health Insurance (NHI).

In September, OurHealth discovered hundreds of patients’ files stacked in the men’s loo of Soshanguve’s Block X Clinic.

Patients like Sakkie Marerwa said they were horrified. “People could take (that information) to social media and expose our confidential data,” Marerwa said at the time.

Health workers blamed the situation on a lack of storage space at the health facility.

Meanwhile, a recent Health-e News investigation found that Tshwane – alongside the North West’s Dr Kenneth Kaunda NHI pilot district – is leading the country in test running one of the NHI’s main components: Ward-based outreach teams. Comprised of community health workers and headed by nurses, these community health teams conduct door-to-door health screenings and education with a particularly focus on the health of pregnant women and children under the age of five. More than 70 such teams currently serve the Tshwane Health District.

Health Department Spokesperson Popo Maja says the long-awaited White Paper on the NHI is expected to be tabled in Cabinet soon.