​Tebogo Tladi, Mampe Marapyane and Teboho Matshatsha
 
It was double delight for the Gauteng Department of Health 
earlier today when MEC Dr Bandile Masuku officially launched a staff wellness 
centre coupled by a travel clinic at the Department’s Head Office - 45 
Commissioner Street, Johannesburg.
 
Delivering his keynote address, MEC Dr Bandile Masuku said; 
“I am excited about the opening of the Occupational Health and Wellness Centre 
today. This centre is one of ten of its kind that as a department we have 
committed to opening by March 2020.” 
 
“The other nine centres will be in the four central 
hospitals, with each of the five districts also having such a centre.  
This centre is also paired with a Departmental Travel Clinic services, 
this model being the first to be established in this way by the 6 
Administration,” he stated.
 
The clinic will render Comprehensive Occupational Health 
Services for the 1100 employees at the GDOH head office. It will include 
specialist Occupational Health Services and oversight for all the GDoH 
establishments focusing on the following pillars of the Employee Health and 
Wellness Strategic Framework:
- HIV&AIDS and TB Management – contributing to the 
management of HIV&AIDS and TB and our 90-90-90 strategic objective. 
-  Wellness Management (Physical, Psychosocial, Spiritual 
Wellness and Work Life Balance)
-  Health and Productivity Management to minimise the 
impact of occupational diseases and non-communicable diseases on the absenteeism 
and presentism.
The MEC further stated that the Occupational Health Safety 
and Wellness of staff is a key area where the Department have committed to 
channel efforts in to improve staff morale.
The day also coincided with the re-launching of the 
Department’s Johannesburg travel clinic which was non-operational for almost a 
year subsequent to the Bank of Lisbon fire outbreak.
 
The newly built medical facility specialises in providing 
preventive medical care such as vaccinations or altitude sickness medicine to 
international travelers and will operate on weekdays and render the following 
services:
Yellow Fever Vaccination
-       Issuing of both Yellow 
Fever Certificates and Medical Waiver certificates
Pre-Travel Advice
-       Pre-Medical Health 
Screening
-       Malaria Pre-exposure advice and 
Chemoprophylaxis
-       Health advice to travelers with 
special needs and disabilities, e.g. Chronic 
-       Illnesses, pregnancy, Chronic heart 
conditions etc.
-       Rabies Pre-exposure and 
Vaccination
Post Travel Health Screening
-       Malaria screening for symptomatic 
clients only
-       Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG) post 
exposure assessment and advice
-       Recommended vaccines for specific 
destinations
According 
to the Travel Clinic’s Nursing Assistant Manager Pinky Khumalo the day couldn’t 
have come a day a sooner as accessibility to vaccination for the province’s 
frequent travelers had become a daunting task.
“Considering that we were closed since September last year, 
some of our clients have had to deal with the inconvenience of going to other 
distant facilities like Pretoria West and Germiston Hospital to get their 
vaccinations before going on their trips.  Today, we officially 
announce that we are back in business!” 
 
The much-anticipated event saw the Head of District Health 
Ms Meisie Lerutla closing on a very enthusiastic note and upbeat mood putting 
more emphasis on the importance of the clinic in boosting staff 
morale.