Ntafufu clinic officially opened

The MEC for Health Mr Sicelo Gqobana officially opened Ntafufu clinic in Port St Johns on 11 May 2011.

The clinic services a population of 12 093 people with a disease profile of Bilharzia, TB, HIV and AIDS, Hypertension, Epilepsy and Sexually Transmitted Infections.

It offers the following services: HIV and AIDS, TB, antiretroviral initiation, chronic diseases, expanded programme on immunisations, sexually transmitted infections, prevention of mother to child transmission, antenatal care and child health.

Before officially opening the clinic, the MEC first conducted door to door visits where he found out that people were living in poverty. He then handed over food parcels to destitute members of that community saying it will help them to curb hunger while officials from Social Development assisted them in accessing social grants.

The MEC was very happy with the fact that people in that area are well informed about HIV and AIDS, TB and child immunisations and he commended the community health workers in the area for a job well-done.

Mr Mputumi Boxa was among the community members who received food parcels and said he did not expect the visit and that he was very thankful to the department for providing food parcels to them. “We did not know what we were going to eat even today” he said.

Speaking at the official opening of the clinic, the MEC encouraged people to live healthy lifestyles so that they prevent sicknesses before they even occur and pleaded with mothers to avoid feeding formula to their babies, encouraging them to breastfeed.

He also mentioned that he was aware of the situation of hospitals in the area and promised that they will be taken care of in the next financial year.

The MEC also opened two more state of the art clinics; Ngqwarhu in Cofimvaba and Xhume in Tsomo.

Source: Eastern Cape Health