Minister of Health promises state-of-art-hospital for Soshanguve
Plans are in place to give the residents of Soshanguve and surrounding areas with better access to health care. A new hospital and clinic are in the works.
Walking long distances to access health care will become a thing of the past for the residents of Soshanguve and surrounding areas, but they will have to wait at least three years before this ideal becomes reality.
This comes after the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, assured residents during the public hearing at the Giant Stadium in Block F, West that a new, state-of-the-art hospital would be constructed in the area. Government hopes that the hospital will be completed by 2017.
The minister made the announcement to the delight of residents. The event focused on health and social development issues during the National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP) campaign to take parliament to the people. Soshanguve residents had to travel long distances to the always busy Ga-Rankuwa-based George Mukhari Hospital whenever they were confronted with serious health issues. The area currently has only one clinic that operates 24 hours a day and caters for the residents of the entire Soshanguve area, including other nearby townships.
Motsoaledi answered questions from the residents who, among others, complained about the lack of a dedicated ambulance service and clinics that were always full. He said they were aware of the problems and that government had put a good plan together to provide them with the services that were essential to their good health. “We are also aware that there is a need for a hospital in the area. The good news is that a new hospital will be built in the area and we hope that by 2017 the hospital will be completed.”
He further stated that Tshwane was a pilot district for National Health Insurance (NHI). NHI is a financing system intended to ensure that all citizens of South Africa are provided with essential health care. “The system will provide essential healthcare services to residents regardless of their employment status and ability to make a direct monetary contribution to the NHI Fund and it will be rolled out on a pilot basis in Tshwane,” said Motsoaledi.
He added that a new clinic would be added to the area so that the residents did not have to travel long distances in order to get treatment.
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