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City Health Department

What we do

We provide a range of personal primary health service options, including municipal health (environmental health) services and personal primary health service options, to all residents through our network of clinics and other healthcare facilities. With more than 77 clinics located in communities across the Metro, as well as a number of mobile and satellite clinics, we are focused on delivering healthcare services to those who need it most.

Primary healthcare is delivered through a district health system reinforced by a committed workforce, strong leadership, and the support of our communities and partners. The City is committed to working with all spheres of government to meet the national, provincial and City targets to provide a coordinated and integrated district health service for the citizens of Cape Town.

"City Health delivers integrated, people-centred primary health care, environmental health, and outpatient substance abuse services that put communities first. Guided by evidence, partnerships, and local insight, we address priority health needs while ensuring quality, safety, and sustainability. Our skilled workforce operates within a framework of accountability, integrity, and good governance. Through this, we remain committed to improving health outcomes and advancing equitable care for all communities in the City." Dr Lenny NaidooDirector: City Health

We include

Personal primary healthcare services

In partnership with Western Cape Government Health and Wellness, we deliver personal primary healthcare through our clinic services. Currently, we manage 61 clinics, 11 satellite clinics, 14 Community Day Centres (CDCs), and 3 Mobile Clinics.

Our basket of primary healthcare services includes:

Child health services:
- Curative services for sick children
- Immunisation, weight and growth monitoring, Vitamin A and deworming
- Nutrition supplementation and breastfeeding advice
- Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV
Men’s health services:
- Counselling
- Pre-circumcision checks
- Referrals to health facilities that perform circumcisions
Women’s health services:
- Basic antenatal care (pregnancy care) and post-natal care (care after birth)
- Counselling and referral for termination of pregnancy (abortions)
- Family planning and pregnancy tests
- Intra-uterine Contraceptive Device (Loop) and Implanon insertion
- Pap smears and breast examinations
Youth-friendly health services
-Contraception
-Pregnancy testing
-Family planning and education
HIV and AIDs
-Counselling and testing, support and treatment
-Antiretroviral (ART) services, and general care and support
-PrEP (Pre-HIV exposure Prophylaxis) for individuals who feel they are at high risk of becoming infected with HIV
-HIV self-screening and Index Case Testing (at some clinics)
General services
-Follow-up on *Notifiable Diseases reported
-Screening, diagnosis and treatment/referral for treatment for hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes
-Substance abuse counselling and referral for treatment
-Testing and treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
-Tuberculosis (TB) testing and treatment

Take note that not all facilities offer the same services. View a list of our clinics and healthcare facilities to find out which facility is offering the services you require.

You can make an appointment at your nearest facility to reduce the waiting time. Our appointment system allows you to schedule an appointment at a time that is convenient for you. The system will also send you an SMS notification confirming the appointment.

*A notifiable disease is a disease that we are required, by law, to report to government authorities. This allows authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks.

See a list of Notifiable Diseases and Contacts for the Western Cape.

Environmental health

Municipal health services, more commonly known as environmental health services, are the core business of City Health.The Department plays a role as a regulator and service provider in maintaining environmental health standards in the City as well as running programmes to create awareness around these risks.

These services are defined in the National Health Act (Act 61 of 2003) as including:

animal slaughter;
business licences and permits;
assessment of building plans for compliance with health related requirements
extended liquor trading hours
ECD registration and compliance
water quality monitoring;
food safety
food control and compliance (including certificates of acceptability);
regulations for food businesses
waste management;
health surveillance of premises (including environmental health inspections);
surveillance and prevention of communicable diseases (excluding immunisation);
vector (pest) control;
environmental pollution control (including air and noise pollution)
atmospheric emissions licences
air quality compliance
open burning permits
disposal of human remains;
exhumation of the dead;
certificates of competence for funeral undertakers;
keeping of animals (including the operation of pet shops, kennels/catteries and pet hotels); and
chemical safety.

We also assist other City directorates and departments with key programmes (such as water sampling), regular health and hygiene promotion projects, and service delivery to informal settlements.