PRETORIA, South Africa – Nissan South Africa's continued support of the Rosslyn Clinic has positively impacted on the lives of 1,400 patients in the area so far. In 2010, Nissan donated a Cabstar converted into a mobile clinic by equipping it with medical essentials. For the past five years, people in the communities of Soshanguve and Klerksoord have benefited from medical services they previously could not access.
The mobile clinic, staffed by the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, has become a vital medical resource for these communities. Care available at the mobile clinic includes basic primary healthcare, screening, immunisation for children, antenatal and postnatal advice, emergency care and HIV counselling. The clinic operates five days a week at alternative sites in Soshanguve Extensions four, five and 10 and Block X, as well as Klerksoord for the Jwarha community.
One of the beneficiaries at the mobile clinic is Alletta Rikhotso, also a mother to a 10 month old baby from Soshanguve Extension 10. She comments: "Going to the mobile clinic has made my life so much easier. I don't have to travel a long way or worry about money when my son and I need to see a doctor. It's given me peace of mind that we are healthy and our health is in good hands."
Keba Matlhako, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Nissan South Africa, comments: "The mobile clinic has given those with financial and transport challenges the opportunity to receive the medical care they need. This has proved particularly valuable for people with babies and children."
The mobile clinic has successfully extended the services of the Rosslyn Clinic, which is an essential medical resource in Tshwane. Eulanda Mabusela, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development, comments: "We appreciate Nissan's role in making healthcare available for community members in Tshwane. Considering the majority of our population doesn't have the means to pay for medical care, we need initiatives like the mobile clinic to ensure that we can offer communities access to the best healthcare possible."
Nissan South Africa will continue to offer its support to the clinic and explore adding other services. This is part of their corporate social responsibility programme, which spans across a number of education, environment and humanitarian (health) initiatives in Rosslyn and the surrounding areas.
Rosslyn has been the home of Nissan in South Africa since it opened its factory there in 1963. Nissan's investment in South Africa provides over 1800 jobs in Rosslyn, and over 3000 more in suppliers around the country. As well as creating employment Nissan is determined to take initiatives to improve the lives of people who live around the factory.
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