South Africa: On Tuesday, 21 June 2022, the Premier of the Free State province, Sefora Ntombela, joined MEC for Health Montseng Tsiu for the official opening and handover of the Parys clinic in Ngwathe local municipality.
The new clinic is situated in the central business district of Parys and boasts a floor space of 730 m² on a site of 2 700 m². The clinic was built with funding from Sasol mine to the tune of R12, 5 million.
In addition to the opening of the clinic, the municipality received fire engines, rescue and rapid response vehicles to the value of R3 million from the mining company. The entourage then made their way to Tumahole township for the public outreach campaign commonly known as taking primary health care services to the people.
Premier Ntombela lauded the investment of the Sasol mine into the community of Parys. By partnering with Ngwathe local municipality in building the clinic and donating vehicles, Sasol has indicated its willingness to collectively work with the government in improving the living conditions of the people of the Free State province.
Premier Ntombela also said the construction of the clinic had freed a number of families from the grips of poverty with the creation of job opportunities.
“The opening and handover of Parys clinic is a clear demonstration of what public and private sector partnership can achieve. The building of this clinic will provide essential services to the people of Parys. It has also dealt a massive blow to unemployment, with a total of 12 people employed.
We made a commitment at the beginning of the year that health care facilities across our province will be refurbished, and Parys clinic was one of those we had earmarked. However, after careful analysis, we decided to build it from the ground, and we thank Sasol mine for helping us to bring this important project to life,” Premier Ntombela said.
The clinic boasts, amongst others:
- Male and female toilets for patients
- Toilets for people with disabilities
- A baby room
- Main waiting area which can accommodate 50 people at a time
- Archive and records room
- Manager office
- Local Area Network room
- Emergency room
- Kitchen
- Pharmacy
- Observation room
- Two consulting room
- Dental room
- Doctors’ room
- Counselling room
- Maternity ward
- Conference room is equipped with a kitchen.
MEC Tsiu thanked Sasol for their role in the building of the clinic and purchase of the emergency vehicles.
“The Opening and Handover of the Parys Clinic will complete yet another significant milestone in the infrastructure development efforts of the Department of Health whilst cementing valuable cooperative relations with Sasol as a valuable corporate citizen that responds to the needs of the community whenever called upon to do so,” said MEC Tsiu.
