MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Beam of Light for rural region of EC

By

“Promising people is easy, keeping the promise is the hard part, delivering on the promise is even harder. It brings me so much joy that the National and local government have managed to keep their end of the bargain by prioritising this region of the Eastern Cape”, Dr Mthandeki Xamlashe, Head of Medical Services in the EC department of health ardently expressed during the official opening of Lutubeni and Gengqe clinics.

Thuliswa Sontundu
Local Resident, Thuliswa Sontundu excited about the new development in her village .

This follows tireless efforts by the National Department of Health and the local government in assuring that proper healthcare services were brought to the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, which battle with a strikingly high Tuberculosis and HIV rate. Coega Development Corporation (as an implementing agent) together with National Department of Health have committed to fulfilling this project since 2015, when construction of the clinics commenced.

Giving the keynote address, Hon Deputy Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla expressed his appreciation of the Eastern Cape and highlighted prioritization of proper healthcare services for this region. “Amongst the nine provinces we have, Eastern Cape is rich with talent and excellence. This province gave birth to a number of remarkable leaders. Transforming the health system in this region is an intentional decision that the government will continue to commit to in order for people to access quality healthcare services”.

In ensuring that the National government adheres to its plans, the CDC has implemented a total of 11 clinics accumulatively valued at R457 million, eight of those clinics are valued at R257 million, which have afforded 486 people with jobs. Enthusiastic about the beam of light brought to the Mqanduli community, Thuliswa Sontundu (28) expressed her appreciation for the development taking place in the area. “As a local resident of Lutubeni I am more than happy to have witnessed this eventful day. For us, it has always been dark and gloomy, the opening of these clinics is a beginning of a bigger transformation,” she said.

Alluding to sentiments shared by locals and government officials present at the opening ceremony, Head of Brand, Marketing and Communication, Dr Vilakazi conveyed his admiration of the work put in place to make sure that the people of this region are provided with their basic right to proper healthcare. “We as the CDC are honoured to have been part of such a successful project, of affording people the access to proper healthcare. It is of paramount value to the CDC to continue working with the government in improving the socio economic condition of the EC,” he concluded.

The following two tabs change content below.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy LinkedIn profileMy Flickr profileMy Pinterest profile

Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.