Sasol hands over health centre in Benzane, Mabote District
Sasol and its partners have handed over the Benzane health centre to government authorities in Mabote District, Mozambique.
The health centre forms part of Sasol’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives aimed at improving access to healthcare through infrastructure development in the country. In partnership with the Ministry of Health, Sasol supported the construction and equipping of the centre, which also has two houses for medical personnel.
Due to its location on the border of Gaza and Inhambane provinces, the clinic will be able to assist over 18 000 people from Benzane in Inhambane and the northern part of the Chigubo District in Gaza.
Over the last 10 years, Sasol has spent more than US$15 million on CSR initiatives that prioritise people-centred capacity building based on extensive engagement with local communities.
“At Sasol, we believe in driving shared and sustainable value for communities. We intend to continue to invest in programmes that improve the quality of life for communities as access to basic healthcare is a fundamental human right. We believe this approach, that entails leveraging partnerships, is fundamental to our business,” says Dr Mateus Zimba, Sasol Mozambique Country Manager.
Speaking at the ceremony, Carlos Cazamula Ngovene, District Director of Women Health and Social Action said: “The clinic will significantly reduce the distance that pregnant women have to travel to give birth to their unborn child. Now they will deliver in safe and secure conditions. Before the opening of the clinic, women walked 35km to get to the next health centre which is situated in Gaza province. Just as an example, this clinic has been operating for just a month and has already assisted 870 people, with various necessities including five births with success. Thirty percent of the patients came from the Gaza province.”
Sasol considers Mozambique as its upstream heartland and over a decade ago, Sasol established its presence in the country with the natural gas project, which has become a catalyst for social development.