Phelophepa train to reach 10,000 patients

[John Ashworth]

PHELOPHEPA TO REACH 10,000 PATIENTS

Railways Africa On June 26, 2012 In South Africa

According to the South African government information service’s Buanews, 6,000 more people in Mpumalanga are expected to be checked or treated for illnesses on the Phelophepa health train. Clinic train manager Thabisile Makhaye said more than 4,000 people had already been treated since the train entered the province last month. “The train is now in Mpumalanga; we have already passed Acornhoek and we are now in Mbombela and in the three weeks that we have been here, we have treated 4,602 people. We believe before we leave here we will reach more than 10,000 people,” said Makhaye. She said the professionals on board the train checked or treated patients for various conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. Some received dental and eye care. She said check-ups were done free while medicines were sold at a nominal R5. “We also clean teeth and remove them free. If someone needs specific treatment, we only charge R10,” said Makhaye.

The Phelophepa health train is a Transnet initiative started in 1994 to provide affordable primary health care to the poor. Whenever the train pulls into a station, 40 health lifestyle volunteers are there to help the community in health awareness. “Each week we train 40 volunteers to teach the local community… we also employ 70 people for different things like interpreting for the doctors who might not speak the patient’s language, cleaning and other work,” said Makhaye. In addition to the doctors and nurses on board there are fourth-year students specialising in certain health professions and doing their internships.