Community members, healthcare leaders, and government officials gathered at the Orange Farm Taxi Rank on Thursday, 21 May, for the official handover of the new Mpathy Clinic to Sr Mbalenhle Nene, who will lead and manage the facility.
The clinic is collaboration between Mpathy Clinics, Rhiza Holdings, the Orange Farm United Taxi Association (OFUTA), and the Gauteng Department of Health to improve access to quality primary healthcare in Orange Farm. The initiative specifically targets men’s health challenges, including Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS.
Lerato Seheri, representing Mpathy Clinics and Rhiza Holdings, said the initiative was introduced in response to serious health concerns affecting men in the community.
She explained that men in Orange Farm are among those most affected by TB and HIV, yet many still delay seeking medical assistance.
According to Seheri, the organisation partnered with the Department of Health as part of efforts to strengthen community-based healthcare services. She added that Mpathy Clinics are nurse-led facilities established to expand access to healthcare in underserved communities.
Seheri said when discussions around opening a dedicated men’s clinic began, the organisation was ready to support the project. She added that the clinic was officially launched last year by the Gauteng MEC for Health as the province’s first men’s health clinic.
“When discussions started about who should lead the clinic, Sr Mbalenhle Nene’s name came up because she understands the community and the people who use the taxi rank,” said Seheri.
Makgabo Gaegake, Deputy Director for the HAST Programme at the City of Johannesburg, said the government has identified the need to improve men’s participation in healthcare services, as many still do not seek medical attention early enough.
“Men are often the last to come to healthcare facilities, and by the time they seek help, their conditions have already worsened,” said Gaegake.
She said partnerships between government and healthcare organisations are important in encouraging men to make use of services such as HIV testing, TB screening, and routine health check-ups.
“We want men to feel comfortable accessing healthcare services and to understand the importance of testing, screening, and early treatment,” Gaeagke added.
Accepting the handover, Sr Mbalenhle Nene thanked the organisations involved for entrusting her with the responsibility of leading the clinic.
She said she remains committed to building on the foundation established by Rhiza Holdings and its partners while ensuring the community receives quality, compassionate healthcare services.
“A gap was identified where by males’ delays seeking healthcare services until they are sick enough to be admitted to the hospital due to their busy schedule. an area that is most dominated by males was identified, which is the taxi rank, thus a decision to open a clinic there. For a lot of taxi drivers, commuters, and operators taking time away from work or their busy schedule is a demanding challenge that has a negative impact on their income , this contribute in delay in their health care needs. Primary health care clinic requires long waiting time strict daytime operational hours. Putting a clinic exactly where drivers are in their workplace seamlessly weaves health care into their day to day routine without disrupting their live hood.” Nene said.
The handover of the Mpathy Clinic marks another step towards improving healthcare access in Orange Farm and strengthening efforts aimed at tackling men’s health challenges through early detection, treatment, and community-centered care. Mpathy clinic is located in Extension 2 taxi rank, operational hours 08h00 to 17h00 Monday to Friday. 09h00 to 13h00 two selected Saturday in a month.
