Picture: The Sekhing Community Health Centre
By OBAKENG MAJE
It’s been almost 12 years since the North West Department of Health built an R130 million state-of-the-art community health centre (CHC) in Sekhing village, near Taung. However, the ‘abandoned’ building is slowly turning into a white elephant.
According to one of the residents, Modiegi Senye said, they have lost hope in having their own healthcare centre. Senye said, they have to travel more than 15km to access healthcare centres in Pampierstad or Kgomotso village.
“We are not sure anymore what is going on with that project. However, we really need a clinic in our area and we urge the North West Department of Health to ensure that the centre is working soon.
“Many elderly people are suffering because there is no coordination between primary healthcare centres in Pampierstad, which is in Northern Cape and the North West Department of Health. When we go there, they order us to go to primary healthcare centres in Kgomotso village because we come from North West province,” she said.
Another resident, Tshetse Lontshitse (65) shared the same sentiments. Lontshitse said, it is costly to reach primary healthcare facilities either in Kgomotso or Pampierstad.
“It is very difficult for us because to reach the nearby healthcare facilities is costly and burdensome. Sekhing is a remote rural area, where many people are living beyond the poverty line, but we have to pay R30 in return for a taxi fare because the healthcare facilities are too far,” she said.
North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha said: “As we speak now, Sekhing CHC is heading for the 12th year, but the progress on its infrastructure is around 90%. That means it is a facility that can be easily opened.
“Remember, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility was used as a vaccination site. When we used it, I wanted to show that we take it over. However, the problem is, contractors who were awarded the work kept changing plans.
“The real problem at Sekhing CHC is the non-availability and non-guarantee of water. We need to find water so that we can drill a borehole and ensure that the facility gets water. The expectation was, we were going to get water from the gravesite.”
Sambatha further said, however, that will be a bad manner. He added that they are now looking for a source of water to ensure that, there is provision of water at the facility before it opens its doors to the public.
Meanwhile, the Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) in North West, Gavin Edwards, who is also the Democratic Alliance (DA) provincial spokesperson on Health said, it is depraved that the R130 million healthcare centre consists of an outpatient department, emergency medical rescue services, a pharmacy and staff accommodation has not provided a single patient with any medical care.
“This multi-million project is another clear indication that the ANC-run North West Provincial Government (NWPG) is not serious about quality healthcare to residents. In March 2019, Sambatha publicly announced that the facility was 90% complete and it would be handed over to the department at the end of March 2019.
“The fact that not a single construction worker is on-site again points to the fact that this centre will not be ready to provide much-needed medical services to the residents in the area any time soon,” Edwards said.
He called on Sambatha to institute an in-depth investigation to find the culprits that held up the project and heads must roll accordingly.
The Guardian 