The uMlazi community leader and nurse Gugu Khumalo opened a private primary healthcare clinic in the township, located south-west of Durban, last week.
The province’s first Mpathy Private Healthcare Clinic was opened through the financial assistance of Rhiza Holdings and is powered by global pharmaceutical company Viatris, and the Contribute Foundation
According to a statement, this partnership is one of the ways the government is initiating working relationships with community organisations in impoverished areas to increase access to primary healthcare.
Eight other clinics have been opened in other parts of the country through Rhiza Holdings, which advocates for public-private-partnerships that help community development efforts work more efficiently.
Khumalo, who has a passion for helping her community is currently the only “nursepreneur”, who is not a medical professional.
“I lost everything during the looting in 2021. The odds were against us, and I had to ask myself if I should just give up or keep trying. But I knew I couldn’t give up. I went back to the drawing board and started to seek help. I wrote proposals and realised that my wish for bringing healthcare to the community could be realised,” she said.
Khumalo lost her early childhood centre during the July, 2021 unrest.
She said a lot of people in uMlazi are defaulting on taking their medication because the nearest public clinic is too far away from them. “We knew we needed to do something.”
But her passion to help her community is what led her to the healthcare path.
“When the clinic opens its doors, I know that patients will be lining up to seek medical care,” Khumalo said.
The clinic has a 3D ultrasound machine, and telemedicine services allowing patients to consult a doctor five days a week.
Services are tailored to the requirements of the community, such as emergency services, chronic disease management, child health and immunisations, reproductive health, HCT (HIV counselling, testing, and ARVs), and other services.
Services are a fraction of the cost of seeing a private doctor, with a consultation ranging between R100 and R300.
Rhiza Holdings healthcare manager Lerato Seheri said opening an Mpathy Clinic during Women’s Month was significant as the aim of the “nursepreneur” project was to empower women.
“Here’s how the model operates: We secure funding to establish a fully-equipped clinic covering all medical equipment and supplies. The clinic is expected to break even within 18 months. After breaking even, the nurse repays the loan interest-free over the next five to seven years.
“Once the repayment is complete, the nurse, in this case Gugu Khumalo, owns the clinic. This is a franchise model that includes comprehensive support throughout the process,” she said.
Seheri said the model empowers women in communities and creates jobs, while providing affordable healthcare.
“Women empowerment is crucial for advancing healthcare in our communities,” she said.
Seheri added that Rhiza Holdings collaborates with the Department of Health to identify areas with the greatest need.
“The goal of the clinic is to alleviate pressure on the local health department by under-served communities. In consultation, we target areas like uMlazi, where the demand for services is particularly high,” said Seheri.
The Mercury