There were tears of joy at Rama city over the weekend when the private clinic and skills Centre was officially opened for the residents of Rama.
Residents dance and sing celebrating the opening of the two facilities.
Professional nurse Thia Mononela has opened a private health clinic in Rama City, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria to serve the needs of the community.
The Care meds private clinic promised to give the best services to the residents of Rama city.
Mononela said she was initially running the private clinic in Wonder Park in 2021 but the business was not good there.
“I was then approached by one of my clients who indicated to me that the people of Rama City were in need of this kind of health service due to shortage of health facilities in the area,” said Mononela.
At the moment the nearest health services and facilities are at Zone 1 in Ga-Rankuwa, which requires Rama City residents to do a lot of travelling from their homes before getting there.
“I was fortunate to find out that at Rama City there was already a building that was already compliant to be a clinic facility but had not been operational,” explained Mononela.
She says she then met with the leaders of the community of Rama City and explained the aims and objectives of the clinic she intended to open in their area.
According to Mononela, the clinic is a private health facility but is supported by the National Department of Health, which has given it a permit to operate, as well as the City of Tshwane Department of Health.
“Since we are a private clinic, some services will be paid for by patients while others will be rendered for free as they are under the regulation of the national health department,” she said.
She said the payment that will be charged won’t be much and that the money will be used for the sustainability of the clinic.
“HIV/AIDS counselling will be provided for free but other illnesses will be paid for by the patients as we have staff members that we must be paid salaries and we also have to buy medication,” said Mononela.
She said some of the services that they will be providing include midwifery, whereby they will be taking care of pregnant ladies until they are ready to go into labour.
“We will also render home-based care services whereby we will be attending to mothers and babies and minor ailments,” she said.
Mononela said minor ailments include flu, coughs and skin condition.
“For babies we will be offering immunisation from when they are 3 days old until they are 12 years old,” she said.
Mononela said the clinic will also offer services regarding cervical, breast and blood cancer screening.
She stressed that there are services that they can’t provide and that those in need of the unavailable services like TB and HIV treatment will be referred to PD Shongwane Clinic and the clinic will receive reports as to how they are progressing.
“I feel so excited to be in partnership with the executive committee of Rama City and the community is so welcoming,” said Mononela as she announced that the clinic will start operating on Monday 13 May.
Chairlady of the Rama City health committee Jeanet Tshoba said the clinic will come in handy for the community as there were no clinics or doctors in the area and that they will no longer walk long distances to get medical health.
“I am happy about the clinic that nurse Thia Mononela has established in the community and also grateful to chairman of the community committee Mr Nthite for always doing wonderful things for us as a community,” she said.
On top of the private clinic that was officially opened in Rama City on Saturday, a skills Centre was also officially opened, and residents expressed joy about both projects.
“Regarding the skills Centre, I want my children to be involved in it, get skills and have a bright future and regarding the clinic, I want to help in the home-based care programme,” said resident Margaret Guse.
Another resident Keith Sekgothe said she is overjoyed that the clinic will make it easy for those suffering from chronic illnesses to receive care nearby, instead of jumping over the local railway line to get medical help.
“The skills Centre is a good thing as both young and old will benefit from it and learn,” she said.
Former Ward 3 Councilor Alphius Mahlatse told Tshwane Talks that the clinic was most welcome as health care was important, and that the skills Centre will equip residents with skills that will help them advance economically.
Rama City is an RDP area that was established in 2009 and has around 3000 residents. It is situated in Ga-Rankuwa.