BY: Prudence Nhavingo
Umvelinqangi Youth Health Care Centre, the first youth clinic in Winterveldt under Umvelinqangi Winterveldt Youth Development Centre, was launched on November 1, 2022, by Sheikh Raheem Nkumane Ameer.
Sheikh Raheem Nkumane Ameer explains that he decided to build the clinic due to the shortage of clinics in Winterveldt. With only one clinic serving a high population, youth expressed fears about going to public clinics. The aim is to educate the community and youth on health matters, providing immediate access to a doctor without long queues.
The clinic caters to individuals aged 10 to 24, offering services such as eye testing, HIV testing and treatment, pregnancy counseling, family planning, and various health-related issues. Professional nurse Lerato Kgaka, working at Umvelinqangi Youth Health Care Clinic, highlights the availability of social workers to assist with gender-based violence and other health matters. The clinic operates from 8 am to 6 pm.
Umvelinqangi Youth Health Care Centre collaborates with the former MEC and the Gauteng Provincial Government Department of Health, providing four nurses to support clinic operations.
The clinic is located near M.H Baloyi Secondary School and Lesolang High School, students benefit from convenient access to the clinic without missing school due to long queues. A high school learner Gomolemo Mokoena says that’s she has been wanting to visit a public clinic to get assisted with family planning but has been fearing to do so because of the stories told by her peers about how they are treated by nurses at the clinic.
The clinic is free of charge and anyone from Gauteng between the required age is more than welcome to attend the clinic and even nurses or doctors who are willing to come and assist at the clinic are also welcomed to do so.
