South Africa: The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee……
on Public Enterprises visits the Transnet Phelophepa Healthcare Train – Today a 15 member Portfolio Committee on Public enterprises gave Phelophepa II their vote of approval. The Committee visited the Phelophepa health care train as part of their oversight role to Transnet plant and operations. Launched only in March this year, the new Phelophepa II has already reached over 50 000 people.
Portfolio Committee
In rural communities in resource limited towns, there is usually a very poor doctor-to-patient ratio, and people have to travel long distances to receive primary healthcare. Phelophepa aims to address this challenge by travelling to remote communities to bring healthcare services directly to the patients.
Phelophepa is the flagship project of the Transnet Foundation – Transnet’s specialist unit for Corporate Social Investment (CSI).
Commitee Chairperson Peter Malukeke
The Transnet Phelophepa II train operates in the same way as the award-winning Transnet Phelophepa I healthcare train that started in 1994. Both trains offer on-board primary healthcare, dental, optometry and psychological care, amongst others services throughout South Africa. The result of the broad reach of Phelophepa is better awareness of common health issues within remote communities.
“Phelophepa is an important part of the Transnet Foundation’s health investment in South Africa, and we are very proud of the positive impact this initiative has had on the lives of so many South Africans. We are particularly delighted, with the recent launch of the Phelophepa II, that we are able to increase the scale, scope and reach on delivering primary healthcare to South Africans living in remote rural areas,” says Cynthia Mgijima, Head of the Transnet Foundation.
Since 1994, the Transnet Phelophepa I and Phelophepa II trains have reached over 127 000 learners, and the outreach programme has changed the lives of more than two million individuals. Phelophepa I and II also have an Aids Action Programme, which has reached at least two million people since 2002.
Nontobeko Bam, a patient says, “With local clinics situated more than 50km away, Phelopepha services are warmly welcomed by our community. Not only are the services affordable, but they are delivered with courtesy, respect and commitment”.
The purpose of the Committee’s oversight visit was to look at the progress of Transnet’s infrastructural projects and the impact it has on the communities in terms of job creation, skills development, budget utilisation and localisation.
Chairperson of the Portfolio committee on Public enterprises Peter Maluleke says “We are very impressed with the positive contribution Transnet is making in a broader society, particularly in areas which are non-core to their primary business.”
“Phelophepa, through its quality services, has become an anchor for primary healthcare to rural communities since 1994, and incubator for skills and a training programme of note for medical students. Moreover the temporary employment opportunities it provides to each town it visits helps in a significant way to alleviate poverty,” he points out.
Transnet Phelophepa II will be visiting the Northern Cape until July, the Northwest in July and August and Limpopo in August and September.
For more information about the Transnet Phelophepa II healthcare train, go to: www.transnetfoundation.co.za
Issued on behalf of the Transnet Foundation:
