Naledi clinic made a lifeline for mothers and newborns
The modern clinic was thoughtfully designed and built with a focus on a pleasant environment for patients and staff.
World Health Day, celebrated on April 7, started with a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health.
The campaign, titled Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures, will urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths and prioritise women’s longer-term health and well-being.
The City of Johannesburg recently opened the newly constructed Naledi Clinic, a state-of-the-art healthcare facility to enhance patient care through modern, sustainable, and people-centred design.
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Implemented by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) on behalf of the city’s Health Department, the clinic is a compact, modern healthcare facility that prioritises efficiency, sustainability and a welcoming environment for patients and staff.
The clinic has 20 consultation and counselling rooms across four wings – an acute wing, a chronic wing, a mother and child wing and an emergency services wing.
The JDA statement says the mother and child wing at the Naledi Clinic is crucial in ensuring the health and well-being of mothers and their newborns.
Pre-natal care (care during pregnancy) helps monitor the health of the mother and baby, detect potential complications early, and provide essential nutritional and medical support.
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Post-natal care (care after birth) ensures mothers recover well and are guided on breastfeeding, newborn care and overall health, reducing the risk of complications like infections or postpartum depression.
Annually, almost 300 000 women lose their lives because of pregnancy or childbirth, while over 2 million babies die in the first month of life, and about 2 million more are stillborn.
The facility also has an infant incubator to care for premature or medically fragile newborns. It provides a controlled environment with optimal temperature, humidity and oxygen levels, helping babies develop correctly and reducing the risk of infections.
This life-saving machine ensures that vulnerable infants get the care they need to grow stronger and healthier.
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This specialised facility is essential for improving maternal and child health outcomes, reducing infant mortality and supporting healthier families in the community.
The JDA CEO, Themba Mathibe, emphasised the importance of thoughtful design in enhancing healthcare delivery, “Infrastructure shapes how communities experience essential services.
The design of the Naledi Clinic ensures operational efficiency and creates an environment that promotes healing and well-being.
“By incorporating sustainability features like solar power and rainwater harvesting, we are building facilities that are resilient, cost-effective and environmentally responsible,” he said.
The Naledi Clinic is a significant step towards expanding quality healthcare services in Soweto and aligns with the vision for sustainable, people-centred development.
