Phelophepa Healthcare Train
The Transnet-Phelophepa trains are free, mobile healthcare clinics that travel to areas of rural South Africa, where in some cases, there is just one doctor for every 5,000 patients. The Phelophepa trains (Phelophepa means "good, clean health") are owned and operated by Transnet Foundation, a freight logistics company. Roche was its main external sponsor from the first ever train journey in 1994.
Back then, there was a single three-carriage train. Now, more than 30 years later, this has expanded to three 19-coach trains, travelling to 70 remote communities every year, and the project has touched the lives of some 15 million people. In the first train, the coach containing the health clinic was renamed the Roche Health Clinic in 1995 in recognition of the company's contribution, and we are proud that it has been sporting this name ever since.
In terms of the services provided on the trains, these include screenings for cancer, diabetes, and hypertension, with pap smears for women and prostate checks for men. The screenings are backed by comprehensive programmes of education and outreach. Today, the trains also feature emergency rooms equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic tools - ranging from a cardiac monitor to a defibrillator, to intravenous therapy apparatus and an adjustable Trendelenburg bed.
For Roche, the Phelophepa train was one of our longest-running philanthropic programmes, and perfectly exemplifies the type of partnership we seek to be involved in: one that solves a clear unmet need, in a very impactful way, and which is sustainable for the long term.
Our sponsorship helped to ensure its continuing operation, pay for staff, help to maintain the equipment and provide educational and training materials. Now, the Phelophepa trains are well established, we have directed our resources to other areas of unmet need in South Africa where we can continue to have an impact on improving health.
We are extremely proud to have played our part in this success story, and we look forward to seeing this extraordinary journey continue long into the future.
We know that wherever they travel across the country, the Phelophepa trains bring more than the promise of Good, Clean Health, they bring hope and healing to those who need it most.
Each train has 19 coaches, is over 780 metres in length and weighs over 1,350 tonnes
Travels through up to 70 communities annually
Is operated by around 20 resident staff and supported by up to 40 South African student volunteers
Has helped to train over 20 000 student doctors, pharmacists and nurses since its first journey in 1994
Has made over 25,000 school visits to date, delivering vital health checks, medicines and education to children
Sees an average of over 375,000 patients a year, issuing over 68,000 prescriptions.
The staff have dispensed medication to over 3 million patients, provided health screening to over 2 million people, and provided healthcare education training to 15,000 volunteers.
Over 15 million people have benefited through general health screening, HIV/Aids awareness initiatives, health education and counselling outreach services.