The new replacement satellite clinic at Chatsworth was based on the design template developed for rural satellite clinics and implemented in Abbotsdale only 25 km away. Lessons learned from building the satellite clinic at Abbotsdale enabled contractors to complete the Chatsworth Satellite Clinic more quickly. Challenges like delays in securing electricity connections in rural areas were anticipated and mitigated.
Even though the project in Chatsworth began three months later than the one in Abbotsdale, both facilities were completed at the same time and both were opened by the Provincial Minister of Health on 21 October 2020.
A similar process was followed for establishing community participation and local stakeholder involvement before the project began. A tender clarification meeting was held in Chatsworth.
A local community liaison officer (CLO) was appointed in line with Expanded Public Works Programme requirements and targets established in terms of the Empowerment Impact Assessment
(EmpIA) were outlined. This process helped to ensure that the project had a positive impact on the local community both during implementation, and after the facility was opened.
A total of 23 local people including eight youths benefited from short-term employment on the project as well as skills training and on-the-job training in construction.
While the design template used the Chatsworth Satellite Clinic is the same as the one used in Abbotsdale, the design was optimised for local conditions and constraints.
This necessitated placing the parking area and some services in different places, but ensuring that existing pedestrian access routes were not disturbed.
The service at Chatsworth clinic also runs three days a week and has provided community members with a facility they can be proud of.