AfriSam, South Africa’s leading construction materials group, in partnership with the Department of Mineral Resources, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health and the Mkhambathini Local Municipality, is making essential health care services accessible to community members with the opening of a newly constructed health post in Nkanyezini.

The hand-over of this facility was celebrated at a ceremony hosted at the Nkanyezini Health Post on Friday 27 September, attended by the MEC of Health, the Mayor of Mkhambathini Municipality, Acting Regional Manager for the Department of Mineral Resources, AfriSam dignitaries, as well as community leaders and members from Nkanyezi and surrounding communities.

AfriSam’s relationship with the Department of Health goes back a number of years, and in 2017, the company heeded the call to partner in the construction of the Health Post in our host communities where there has been a challenge in accessing primary health care services.

“In support of our vision of ‘Building Communities for a positive African future’, we are committed to working with our host communities and investing in projects that will deliver on this vision. We are proud to have partnered with our stakeholders in the construction of the Nkanyezi Health Post, providing community members with the necessary facilities, resources and services that will make a positive and sustainable difference to their lives and overall well-being”, says Rob Wessels, Chief Executive Officer of AfriSam.

The Nkanyezini Health Post is strategically located to provide easy access to community members from Nkanyezi, Ntweka, Ezimbileni, Emasangweni, KwaToni, Lion Park, Miaaz Road and Manderston. Approximately 8 000 community members are expected to benefit from this health post.

AfriSam invested significantly in the construction of the Nkanyezi Health Post which consists of a sheltered waiting area for patients, two consulting rooms for nurses, an air-conditioned medicine room, a furnished kitchenette, five ablution facilities and dispensing window and counter.

Constructed on land made available by the Manyavu Traditional Council, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health will ensure the operation of the Nkanyezi Health Post will provide all movable furniture, medical equipment accessories and personnel. The Mkhambathini Municipality will provide the required services to the Health Post.

The Nkanyezi Health Post will act as a primary health care facility to provide clinical as well as public health services, awareness, and advocacy for important local health issues.

The Nkanyezini Health Post will serve as a mobile service stopping point where a team of healthcare workers led by a Professional Nurse will render a comprehensive primary healthcare service package weekly.

It is also a designated Central Chronic Medication Dispensing and Distribution (CCMD) point where patients who are on chronic medicine can collect their pre-packed medication parcels instead of going to the clinic and waiting. In addition, it will form part of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health’s Phila Mntwana program, promoting health and preventing diseases among children from the community.

AfriSam’s commitment to the project is in line with the company’s overall community involvement mission, which is to understand the needs of our host communities and make meaningful and sustainable contributions to their upliftment.

In recent years, AfriSam has been in involved in many CSR initiatives in the Pietermaritzburg area.The company successfully constructed the Honeyville Community Hall and uMsilinga Primary School Hall and has renovated the computer center and science laboratory at Panorama Primary school.

AfriSam also provides training and development to qualifying enterprises to grow and strengthen their businesses to a level where they can trade with AfriSam and other companies, in turn transferring skills to local community members and creating employment for the youth.