It was a dream came true for two medical professionals, Joha-Nita Jordaan and Lizeth Kruger, when the Dis-Chem Community Clinic opened on Tuesday, February 13 on Thabo Sehume Street in the CBD.

Kruger said providing accessible and affordable healthcare where amenities are accessible to inner city communities has always been important to her.

“I have worked together with Jordaan to identify patients’ needs in and around a city landscape where they are living and working. Our vision is to have a clinic where patients will be treated in a humane and dignified way,” she said.

The walk-in clinic with consulting rooms and an emergency room where a team of nurses and a receptionist would help 100–120 people on a daily basis was the result of their efforts.

“It is a clinic for people who don’t have the money to go to private clinics or doctors, yet need preventative care. This clinic represents hope and empowerment for people who need quality healthcare services,” said Kruger.

Consultations with a nurse, including all medical treatments would cost R60 and a consultation with both a nurse and an online doctor R150, including all medical treatments.

The clinic will provide appointment-based visits, reducing the need for patients to endure long queues or walk-in visits.

Basic medication will be available, and the clinic will refer patients who have more severe conditions.

“It is a clinic for people who don’t have the money to go to private clinics or doctors, yet need preventative care,” says medical professional Lizeth Kruger.

An inner-city developer and a charity foundation came together to give their dream a strong and sustainable future.

It all started with Jacqueline Kahlberg of the Dis-chem Foundation discussing a project to make food available to children in early development centres with city property developer, Jeffrey Wapnick of Octodec.

“And somehow the discussion came to the shortage of healthcare in inner cities! And here we are today,” said Kahlberg.

In that spirit, Dis-Chem approached Octodec to provide space for an accessible inner-city clinic in Tshwane.

Wapnick said it was a “no-brainer” for his team to put the wheels in motion to find a suitable property and see to the upgrade thereof to house the clinic.

“This is the first affordable medical clinic in years to open in the inner city and we are proud to be associated with our partners and the clinic,” said Wapnick.

Lynette Zaltsman, co-founder of Dis-chem, said the clinic is a wonderful example of partnerships that work.

“I am blown away with what Jordaan and Kruger have achieved and the hard work they have put in to serve the community of Tshwane,” said Zaltsman at the opening of the clinic.

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