After many years of struggling for a permanent healthcare centre‚ the City of Joburg has finally given the people of Ennerdale Extension 8 a modern medical clinic. This comes after many years of them struggling for a decent health facility as services were offered out of a small prefabricated cabin.Accompanied by members of the mayoral committee‚ Joburg mayor Parks Tau officially opened the R25-million clinic on Thursday.Speaking on behalf of Gauteng Premier David Makhura‚ MEC of Health Qedani Mahlangu said there was a need for permanent healthcare delivery in the area.“We are here today to officially hand over the medical centre. We heard your concerns and the city worked tirelessly to ensure that we deliver what the community had been asking for. It is therefore your duty to look after this facility as we will not build another clinic‚" said Mahlangu to a round of applause.When the project was in progress‚ the community torched a block of the clinic citing grievances about unemployment.“This is an ideal clinic therefore the services must meet the needs of the community‚” she said.Speaking at the marquee where community members had gathered‚ Tau said: “We encourage community members to lead a healthy lifestyle that has a culture of healthy lifestyle choices [as it] highlights the importance of prevention over cure.“This is a gift to the people of Ennerdale‚ we really look forward to working with you to ensure that we don’t only celebrate the clinic‚ but we are able to celebrate improved quality of life.”The health facility will officially start operating on Monday.It will provide integrated chronic diseases management‚ antenatal care and tuberculosis treatment‚ among other services.Mahlangu assured residences that the facility would operate 24 hours a day‚ but that would only be in two to three months’ time.The clinic consists of 18 private consultations rooms.It is one of six healthcare centres built or renovated to address the increasing demand for primary healthcare services within the City of Johannesburg.Mahlangu also encouraged the community to exercise in order to stay fit.“We encourage the community to do some form of exercise in order to decrease the chances of illnesses. The more you exercise‚ the less chances of you getting ill‚” the MEC said.Go Jozi‚ the city’s health drive‚ is an initiative that promote healthy eating‚ education and active living.This is done by encouraging communities in the city to eat well and exercise regularly to maintain physical fitness and mental health.* In an unrelated incident just 5km away from the new clinic‚ protesters in the Fine Town area blocked an intersection with rocks‚ calling for the city to also build them a proper health facility. – TMG Digital/TMG Local Government..