The Phelophepha Healthcare Train is the world’s first primary healthcare hospital on wheels which uses South Africa’s existing rail network to provide quality and affordable medical care to thousands of South Africans.
The popular train provides facilities to conduct general health, dental and eye checks while dispensing a variety of treatments for diagnosed conditions.
In addition to these general health services, individual counselling sessions and group workshops are available to help people cope with psychological issues such as stress and depression.
With the Phelophepha Train providing quality medical services at highly affordable rates, many people made use of the annual offerings. However, this will no longer be the case for Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal residents.
This follows the Phelophepha Train confirming that it will no longer stop off in the Northern KwaZulu-Natal town.
However, for those down the road in Ladysmith, KZN, the Transnet Phelophepha Train will be stopping at the Ladysmith Station from 23 January 2023 to 27 January 2023, and then again from 30 January 2023 to 3 February 2023.
Then instead of making its way to Newcastle like it once did, Simon Gumede from the Phelophepha Train told Newcastillian News that the hospital on wheels will make its way to Greytown.
What’s more, he pointed out that while he could not divulge much, Newcastle would no longer be a part of the Phelophepha Train’s route in the future. This allegedly stemmed from technical issues at the local railway lines and the platform at which the train once stopped.
As the healthcare train now prepares to bypass Newcastle, numerous Newcastillians will, unfortunately, miss the cost effective medical services.
However, Gumede urged other KZN residents to monitor social media and the media to see when the Phelophepha Train would steam into their towns.
With the popular healthcare train set to bypass Newcastle, what are your thoughts? Do you think there is another reason for them not coming back to Newcastle?
Let us know in the comment section below.
