Gauteng Health Launches Dedicated Wellness Centre for LGBTQIA+ Community and Sex Workers

The Gauteng Department of Health marked a milestone in community-centred healthcare with the official opening of its first new Wellness Centre designed specifically to serve key populations, including LGBTQIA+ communities and sex workers. These are groups that have been disproportionately affected by the global HIV funding cuts following policies introduced under Donald Trump.

Located at 159 Rahima Moosa Street, Johannesburg, the building formerly known as Jeppe Clinic has been transformed into a modern, affirming, and accessible space, reopening its doors after closing in 2018 due to structural decay and repeated abandoned refurbishments.

A Day Focused on Sexual Health, Dignity, and Visibility

The morning began at the Wits RHI centre, where attendees were welcomed with sexual-health essentials, condoms, lubricants, HIV prevention tools and had the opportunity to network.

The gathering then proceeded to Hillbrow Clinic, where the Gauteng Health MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, and her delegation hosted a briefing before leading the procession to the newly refurbished Wellness Centre.

Amid cheers from partners, activists, and health officials, the MEC cut the ribbon, unveiled the plaque, and toured the centre, occasionally pausing to greet and encourage the young nurses and clinicians who will staff the facility.

Closing the Gap Left by Funding Cuts

The centre forms part of the Gauteng Department of Health’s strategy to close service gaps created after many civil-society HIV programmes lost funding earlier this year. Deputy Director for HAST (HIV, AIDS, STIs & TB), Mmakobo Gaegake, spoke candidly about the urgency of restoring dependable, stigma-free care for communities that were left behind.

“We have opened a safe space for you at 159 Rahima Moosa Street,” Gaegake said. “After the stop order and the SLM Clinic stopped working, we couldn’t get hold of you, and we were worried. Where are you collecting treatment? The best thing is to stay on treatment, to stay healthy, so that you live long for your kids.”

Addressing the LGBTQIA+ community directly, she added: “My people… while everybody doesn’t want you to be their people, you are mine. I’m the sister-boss for all the letters in LGBTQI.”

Gaegake emphasised that the Wellness Centre offers holistic treatment, privacy, and a judgment-free environment staffed by trained nurses and a doctor equipped to support disclosed and undisclosed individuals alike.

“Not Just a Building, but a Statement of Commitment”

During her keynote address, MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko described the opening as a symbol of renewed dedication to dignity, wellness, and professional pride within the district’s health system.

“This Wellness Centre is not only a building,” she told attendees, “but a statement of commitment to health, to wellness, to dignity, and to professional pride.”

Reflecting on the building’s history and rebirth, she added: “So many of you will remember this place as an old clinic… but today, that shell has been transformed into something powerful and purposeful. A space returning to hope, healing, and empowerment.”

The MEC reaffirmed that LGBTQIA+ communities are central stakeholders in the health department’s mandate. “I have been supporting you; I have been fighting for it. You are important stakeholders. Some of my children are part of this community. We must always protect you because we want you to live long, healthy, productive lives.”

A Centre Designed for Comprehensive, Compassionate Care

The facility will offer the following free services:

• HIV prevention and treatment services (including PrEP and ART)
• STI management and testing
• TB screening
• Gender-affirming healthcare (including provision of hormone therapy)
• Mental-health and psychosocial support
• Dedicated services for sex workers
• Counselling, stress management and lifestyle programmes
• Training space for new nurses and district recruits

The MEC also highlighted the importance of staff wellness, noting that the centre will accommodate initiatives like “Wellness Wednesdays,” where health workers and clients participate in physical activities to combat burnout, hypertension, and chronic health issues.

A Reclaimed Space, A Renewed Commitment

The reopening of the former Jeppe Clinic stands as a reclaiming of space, one that once signified decay but now embodies hope, safety, and inclusion.

As the delegation exited the building after the tour, beaming nurses stood ready to welcome future clients. For many in attendance, the moment represented not just an infrastructural achievement but a collective declaration: that LGBTQIA+ communities and sex workers deserve accessible, dignified, and holistic healthcare, without discrimination, judgment, or fear.

The Wellness Centre is located at 159 Rahima Moosa Street, Johannesburg.