In an effort to address the shortage of medical practitioners, the Musina Hospital officially launched its partnership with the Phalaborwa Rotary club at an event that was held at the hospital board room a fortnight ago.

Members of the Rotary club, who happened to be medical practitioners, will continuously assist the hospital voluntarily with experts in various fields such as pharmacy, optometry, medical general practitioners, lab technicians and dentists.

According to Dr B Khoza, the secretary of the Rotary club, the aim is to assist poor people of Musina on a quarterly basis throughout the year. “We know that there is a shortage of medical practitioners at the hospital, so we are voluntarily offering to assist,” he said.

He said as medical practitioners they were always busy, but they at least wanted to dedicate their free time doing community service, assisting the community with health problems free of charge. He said if the Limpopo government could liaise with the Zimbabwean government, they can also assist the two areas of Zimbabwe, such as the Matebele South and Bulawayo.

Khoza said the Rotary club had already communicated with the Rotary club in Mozambique to assist with health issues in Maputo. " We, however, want to help in Musina before we cross the border to Zimbabwe where we also want to assist the community," he said.

The deputy manager of International Relations in the office of the Premier, Mr Sello Ramashala, said that the Limpopo provincial government welcomed the move. He said Limpopo currently has a memorandum of understanding with Zimbabwe and Mozambique in as far as health was concerned.

The executive manager of the Department of Health in Vhembe, Mr Pandelani Ramawa, said the partnership would boost the department particularly because there is currently a shortage of medical practitioners at Musina Hospital. "We really appreciate the Phalaborwa Rotary club´s contribution."