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Gauteng Health MEC, Dr Bandile Masuku recently opened a Haemotology Clinic at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto.
 
The clinic, valued at R75 million with 28 beds is a first of its kind in a public facility as well as one of three in the country.
 
The clinic has been built specially for the patients suffering from rare and life-threatening blood disorders such as leukemia as well as for research purposes.
 
The Public Private Partnership between the department which resulted in the state of the art clinic was led by Stan & Daphne Nkosi Foundation and partners following the untimely death of the couple's  19-year-old daughter, Zakithi Nkosi.  She suffered from Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).
 
In June last year, Nkosi, launched a Hashtag teamZazaNkosi campaign which was an initiative to build a Haematology Clinic at the hospital.  Partners came on board and her dream was realized in nine months.
 
"I started the fundraising campaign as I did not want any parent to go through what I went through during my daughter's sickness.  I had to drop everything to look after her and the little knowledge the health workers had added to the trauma," said Nkosi.
 
Officially opening the Zakithi Nkosi Clinical Haematology Centre of Excellence, MEC, Dr Masuku reminded the citizens of Gauteng that we all have a responsibility to ensure that the public health system becomes that which we want it to be.
 
"We are inspired by selfless South Africans like Nkosi's.  Let's play our part and make South Africa great," added the MEC.
 
The foundation has recently launched a hashtag VukaBara.  Through this new campaign, they are hoping to get support to build a Paediatric Oncology ward at the hospital within 12 months.
Encouraging community members to participate in such campaigns, MEC, Dr Masuku concluded by borrowing wise words from a well-known American actor, director and producer Denzel Washington who once said, "at the end of the day it's not about what you have or even what you've accomplished… it's about who you've lifted up, who you've made better. It's about what you've given back."
 
The foundation also spoiled Sphiwe "Malume" Msimango who has been a volunteer at Bara for 22 years with a brand-new car.  The car will help him continue his work of helping patients at the hospital.