Modern, Growing, Successful Province

Sod-Turning of the new Ga-Mopedi Clinic

Speech by the Honorable MEC for Health, Mr Mxolisi Sokatsha, on the occasion of the Sod-Turning of the new Ga-Mopedi Clinic.Ga-Mopedi, John Taolo Gaetsewe District – Northern Cape, 04 November 2010: 10h00
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Programme Director

All Kgosis and Traditional Leadership

Speaker of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature

Deputy-Speaker of Northern Cape Provincial Legislature

Members of the Executive Council

The Chairperson and Members of the Provincial Portfolio Committee on Health

Executive Mayor of John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality

Mayor of Joe Morolong Local Municipality

All counselors present

Representatives from all the different community, religious and political institutions and structures present

Senior Managers and Departmental officials from the Provincial and District Department of Health

Members of the media

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning to all. It is a great honour and privilege for government to be here today with the people of Ga-Mopedi on the occasion of the official sod turning for the construction of the new Ga-Mopedi Clinic. As the government of South-Africa, we have vowed to address the inequalities and injustices of our past and struggle for development of our people and our country by pushing back the frontiers of poverty and continuously improving the lives of all the citizens of our country and our province.

Today we are celebrating and realizing another achievement in government’s service delivery mandate to the people of South-Africa.

Building health infrastructure is one way of improving health service delivery in the province as well as improving the quality of care that is provided within all our health facilities.

Furthermore, as the ANC led government of South-Africa, we have an obligation towards the healthcare of our people. In this light, as a response to the call of our people during the April 2009 elections, Health has been prioritized as the one of the five key areas together with Crime, Education, Rural development and Job creation for the next five years. In addition, government developed a Ten Point Plan to address the service delivery challenges faced by the health sector.

The construction of the new Ga-Mopedi Clinic is a direct response to Point 3 – Improving the quality of health services as well as Point six(6) – Revitalization of infrastructure of the health sector Ten Point Plan.

The construction of the new clinic will start early 2011 and completion is scheduled for March 2012. The total cost is estimated at R6M. Accommodation facilities for personnel will be included in the construction with the aim of attracting health professionals and providing adequate housing and living infrastructure for them to provide quality health services to our people.

One of the advantages for the community of Ga-Mopedi with the building of the new clinic, will be economic in nature in the sense that the construction of this new clinic will provide necessary employment opportunities. The contractor will be required to use the local labour force in order for much needed income to be channeled to poverty stricken households. Furthermore, it will be for the first time that the community of Ga-Mopedi will have a fully fledge clinic to access essential healthcare services.

In this light we have combined the sod turning for the new clinic with the Ministerial Health Campaign the Department of Health has been embarking on since August 2010. We urge all present to access the free health services on offer today which include dental and eye clinics, blood pressure and sugar level testing, TB screening, HIV Counseling and testing as well as health bursaries.

We welcome the building of the new clinic and we are confident that the community of Ga-Mopedi will benefit from the health care services that will be provided. The new clinic will belong to all in Ga-Mopedi. It is your responsibility as community members to take care of it and protect it from vandalism. Furthermore, we call upon all in Ga-Mopedi to start thinking of a name for the new clinic, so when we open the new clinic, it will have a name chosen by the people, for the people.

The ANC led government’s HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign is a direct response aimed at increasing our efforts to address the scourge of HIV and AIDS in our province and our country. This campaign is undertaken under the banner: “I am responsible...We are responsible... South Africa is taking responsibility”. We encourage everyone to take personal and collective responsibility to stop the spread of new HIV infections, provide care and support to those living with HIV and to ensure access to treatment for all people in need.HIV, AIDS and TB does not discriminate.

We are all exposed to these diseases and it is the responsibility of us all to contribute in our fight against these diseases. We call upon each and every one of you to support, attend and be part of these government and community programmes and initiatives aimed at intensifying and strengthening our combined efforts in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Know your status, get tested.

In conclusion, we take this opportunity to officially turn the sod of the new Ga-Mopedi Clinic and I hope the community will after completion, preserve the facility with dignity and respect for now and future generations.

Working together, we can do more!

Thank you!

Dankie!

Enkosi!

Realeboga!

Nike

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