Phelophepa, the Transnet-owned primary health care train and the flagship of the Transnet Foundation’s Health Portfolio, is without doubt one of the country’s biggest corporate social investment success stories.
 
Since its humble beginnings in 1993, as a modes three-coach eye clinic built from redundant rolling stock, Phelophepa has developed into a fully-fledged health care train, boasting four additional clinics providing dental care, healthcare and with the inclusion of a medicine clinic, basic health education and counseling services in South Africa’s remote, underdeveloped and underprivileged communities.
 
The 16 coach train, which also serves as a practical training platform for the country’s final year students in various disciplines, including those studying optometry and pharmacy, has traveled a total of more than 150 000 kilometres since its inception and treated a total of 375 000 patients throughout the county.
 
During its coverage of 36 points annually, Phelophepa’s personnel educate and guide local volunteers in basic health education. A total of 5 000 people have successfully completed a comprehensive five-day basic health education programme since its inception in 1995.
 
The train, which is run on sound business principles with a budget of R1.4 million a month, R900 000 of which is provided by Transnet Foundation, operates between January and September every year, with the remaining three months used for maintenance work and to allow medical students to write their end of year examinations.
 
Working in partnership with the respective provincial departments of health, Phelophepa, which means good, clean health in both Setswana and Sesotho, seeks to deliver comprehensive, affordable and accessible healthcare in communities with no health services or with poor infrastructure.