Pretoria - The City of Tshwane has expressed gratitude to the three mobile clinics donated by PPC cement company to the Olievenhoutbosch community.
This sentiment was expressed during a ceremony hosted at the local clinic, where residents came to witness the donation.
Speakers cautioned that although the place has a clinic there was a need for mobile clinics due to the spatial distribution of communities in the region.
Most patients were forced to commute to one clinic in the community to receive treatment.
The donation has been hailed as a much-needed healthcare relief to hundreds of residents in the township.
Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa,who graced the occasion, expressed gratitude for a generous donation from PPC, saying it would go a long way in meeting the needs of the community.
"This is a generous investment and I accept it with humility," he said.
He said the contribution was in line with the promise he made during the state of the capital address regarding the importance of providing a better primary healthcare to communities.
It was envisaged that about 3 000 people will benefit from using the facilities every month.
Company managing director Njombo Lekula said one mobile clinic was already operational, opening from 8am to 3pm daily and employed two nurses and an administrator.
It offered basic healthcare services, which included TB and HIV testing, counselling and family planning.
"The two additional mobile clinics will soon be active and this will increase the staff contingent to 12," Lekula said.
He said facilities were made possible by the R3 million capital investment made by PPC.
Each mobile clinic is equipped with consulting rooms, key medical equipment as well as mobile equipment for emergencies.
Facilities were handed over to the City for the maintenance and replenishment to make sure the community benefit from them over a long period of time.
Lekula said: “Our priority is to ensure that there will be a continuation of services to those in need and will be reviewed with the City of Tshwane every five years.
"The Social and Labour Plan is there to make sure that there is no excuse as to services not being rendered because the budget is depleted."