Toteng Clinic has been transformed into an efficacious health facility following the completion and hand over of a project to refurbish, complete works and provision of medical equipment and furniture by Khoemacau Copper Mining in partnership with Royal Gold.
The two companies went beyond just finishing structural works of the clinic, to providing medical equipment and furniture, thus ensuring the facility becomes fully operational on handover. This will ensure the facility does not wait for government to equip and furnish as is norm with many of its facilities.
The project, which marks a major milestone in the company’s relationship with the communities in the area in which its Zone 5 mine operates was handed over to the district health management team and the Toteng village community this week with befitting pomp.
Giving an overview of the project, Khoemacau Copper Mining acting general manager Neo Kwakwa highlighted on the scope of the over P3 million completion of construction works, provision of medical equipment and furniture.
As part of the works, the project also covered completion of the cooling systems and water storage systems. Toteng old Health post has also been refurbished through this project – and community has called for it to be converted into a maternity wing.
“The project is fully commissioned and today was to officially hand over of the completed project to the ministry of health to take full control of usage and maintenance,” he said.
In his keynote address, Royal Gold Vice President Operations Martin Raffild highlighted that his company which has over the past three years funded the Khoemacau mine operations, understands the importance of building relationships with communities, local authorities and other stakeholders in the areas of operation.
He said over the past three years they have been impressed with KCM’s team in areas of environmental impacts, community and government relationships. He added that the team has also demonstrated to have the right people, skills and the attitude required to be successful both as a business and part of the wider communities.
The project is a true reflection of what public private partnerships can achieve, according to Ngami District Health Team Coordinator, Dr Sandra Maripe.
She said Toteng Clinic currently services a population of 1854 people, and with one doctor, 3 nurses, one pharmacy technical, one driver and with one ambulance the clinic offers opd, infectious diseases control centre and the reproductive health services among others.
Maripe further highlighted that the project by Khoemacau and Royal Gold at Toteng Clinic fits perfectly into their aspirations to improve infrastructure management, resources, processes and technology to improve operational excellence.
