The new state-of-the-art R22 million refurbished Health Sciences clinic was officially launched at the Durban University of Technology’s Mansfield Hall, Ritson Campus,last week.
To mark the prestigious occasion, various stakeholders such as Dr Jairam Reddy, Chairperson of the DUT Council Samukele Khumalo from the Office of the Premier, Professor Jamila Adam, Vice-Chairperson: Professional Board for Radiography and Clinical Technology, International French lecturer-Stéphane Leszkiewicz, Director of the Confucius Institute at DUT Dr Eddie Chaobo Fu, eThekwini municipality speaker Councillor Logie Naidoo and Welcome Hlongwa from BP Angola, attended the opening.
The substantial refurbishment of the DUT Faculty of Health Sciences clinic was enabled by a grant from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through its Infrastructure Grants Programme. The Health Sciences clinic initially opened in the early 90’s in response to the need for a facility for the training of students in the non-traditional professions like chiropractic, somatology and homeopathy.
With the merger and the growth of DUT student numbers, the clinic required refurbishment and expansion. With an injection of funds from the DHET, the clinic was refurbished in 2013 to increase patient rooms and provide state of the art somatology facilities that competed with those in private settings.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Science, Prof Lina Puckree said the refurbished clinic was re-engineered to promote health and will play a significant role in promoting health care.
“The clinic will serve two purposes, firstly as a training facility for DUT students to receive hands-on training and secondly to provide services to those who may not be able to afford private healthcare. Compared to the weekly patient load of approximately two to 25 per week in the 90’s, the clinic now services about 300 chiropractic follow ups per week and at least 30 to 50 patients per week in each of the other clinics,” she said.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Ahmed Bawa gave thanks to the various role-players and the DUT team who were instrumental in seeing this project from start to finish.
“There are two strands in the DNA of DUT. The first is student-centredness and the second is engagement. The refurbishment of the health clinic that we are celebrating is vital to both these strands. If DUT is serious about engagement as a rubric around which it organises itself, it has to create a set of dynamic interfaces through which it mediates its connections with society in its many representations. This facility does exactly that,” he said.
Deputy Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences-Greg Bass, who played a vital role in making this project happen, also gave thanks to DUT staff and stakeholders who ensured this clinic became a reality.
“Without the grant of R22 million from DHET and help from DUT’s Finance Department, this clinic would not have been built. Help us celebrate our new family, which I am so proud of,” said Bass.
Guests were also given a tour of the clinics which offer services in chiropractic, homeopathy, somatology, dental (general dentistry and prosthetic replacement dentistry) and radiography. There are also plans to bring other clinics on board like clinical technology and medical orthotics and prosthetics. Chiropractic students were very excited to be given such an opportunity to gain supervised clinical practical training.
Mtech Homeopathy student Alistair Makowe said, “The opening of the clinic is a very good opportunity for us to have practical learning in our field. I am very excited and I believe this is an opportunity as well for the university to give back to the community. The community will also get to know what homeopathy is about and we will be providing free and low cost services to them.”
eThekwini speaker Logie Naidoo was very impressed with the new clinic adding that this has taken DUT to a new level under the leadership of Prof Bawa. “With the National Health Insurance Act due to be implemented, this clinic will be affordable to the common man and play an important role in providing such a beneficial service to the communities in Durban,” he said.
The clinic also recently bought a Quantam vehicle which has been converted into a mobile clinic with DHET fund. This will allow the clinic to be supported by services in communities, thereby enhancing the exposure of DUT students to the real settings and providing services to those who need it the most.
-Waheeda Peters and Gift Nyamapfene
Pictured: Ethekwini municipality speaker, Logie Naidoo, DUT Vice-Chancellor-Prof Ahmed Bawa, Executive Dean of Health Sciences-Prof Lina Puckree, Deputy Director at Office of the Premier -Samukele Khumalo, DUT Deputy Vice-Chancellor-Prof Nomthandazo Gwele, and DUT Health Sciences Faculty Deputy Dean- Greg Bass, at the official opening of DUT Health Clinic.
