The North West Health MEC, Sello Lehari, has implored newly appointed healthcare professionals, to serve the province with dedication and
Lehari was speaking during the official welcoming ceremony for 101 interns at the Job Shimankana Tabane (JST) Hospital in Rustenburg.
The new cohort comprises 48 Medical Interns, 24 Community Service Medical Doctors, 4 Community Service Radiographers, 2 Occupational Therapists, 2 Dietitians, 2 Physiotherapists, 12 Nursing Assistants, 3 Community Service Nurses, 2 Environmental Health Practitioners, and 2 Speech and Audiology Therapists.
Lehari says the appointments are expected to significantly strengthen clinical and support services at the hospital.
“We warmly welcome all the newly appointed healthcare professionals to the North West Department of Health.
Your presence strengthens our capacity to deliver quality healthcare, and we expect you to serve our communities with dedication, compassion and professionalism,” said Lehari.
The MEC emphasised the importance of commitment, professionalism and patient-centred care for their next 12-months stay.
“It’s a matter of time; you’ll all be Doctors and Nurses. You qualify to be here.
You’re here to learn from the Professors, those who have been in the field for so many years.
Please come to work every day, even when your supervisor isn’t here, and don’t involve yourself in fraudulent activities.
Just be disciplined, professional, consistent, until you complete your 12-months in-service training,” appealed Lehari.
The ceremony coincided with the department’s comprehensive assessment of the hospital’s performance, service delivery improvements, infrastructure needs and operational challenges.
JST, which is provincial tertiary hospital, is the third largest district in the province in terms of geographic size and serves a population of over 2.1 million people across the local municipalities of Kgetlengrivier, Madibeng, Moretele, Moses Kotane and Rustenburg.
It provides Level 1, Level 2 and selected Level 3 services, with a total of 440 open beds and an additional 68 Public-Private Partnership beds.
Lehari commended management and staff for key achievements, including the reduction in maternal mortality, renovation of wards 3 and 4, installation of medical air in neonatal and paediatric units, increased ICU bed capacity, and expanded outreach services to district hospitals.
Despite these milestones, Lehari acknowledged persistent challenges related to space constraints, ageing furniture, staffing delays and budget limitations.
“While progress has been made, we are decisively addressing the challenges facing Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital.
The department will intensify engagements with the Chief Financial Officer, strengthen specialist nurse training, explore collaborative partnerships, and accelerate staffing processes to ensure sustainable service delivery,” said the MEC.
