MEC clears up rumours about the closure of Woodstock health centre

By Cindy Witten
18 February 2009

MEC for Health in the Province, Marius Fransman has assured the public that the rumours being spread that the Western Cape Department of Health is planning to close down the Woodstock Community Health Centre are untrue.

Fransman says that the health centre in Woodstock is dilapidated and that the department is assessing the building.
“We need to strengthen health services in the Western Cape. We need to ensure that our 3.6 million people get quality health service, whether it is in Woodstock, Khayelitsha or in Bellville. In the Woodstock area, we are currently assessing that situation,” said Fransman.

Fransman added that the Woodstock Community Health Centre would relocate and be improved and expanded to accommodate the growing needs of the community if it came to that.

“There are buildings that are decapitated, which are not good anymore to deliver good health care. Woodstock is one of them, where we have decided to assess the infrastructural condition of the building and if needs be, we will either repair or suggest a replacement for the building,” Fransman said.

He said that it is his department’s responsibility to ensure that residents are provided with accessible and quality health care services.