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The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) has received four new vehicles to strengthen rural clinical training in the Eastern Cape. The vehicles arrived on 24 November 2025 and will support student transport, academic operations, and research activities across the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Academic Health Platform. They will also assist teams preparing for the new Clinical Rural School in Lusikisiki.
What Happened?
FMHS confirmed the delivery of four transport vehicles dedicated to clinical-year students, lecturers, specialists, and researchers.
The WSU Academic Health Platform operates across the province through a partnership with the Eastern Cape Department of Health (ECDoH) and the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS).
Growing academic demands drove the need for more mobility. FMHS extended teaching and clinical rotations to the Central Deanery (East London to Queenstown and Aliwal North) and the Eastern Deanery (Mthatha, Lusikisiki, and Bizana).
These expansions increased the movement of registrars and specialists from Mthatha to rural training sites.
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) Adds New Vehicles to Boost Rural Training-Image: Facebook, WSU
Official Response
FMHS leadership welcomed the vehicles as a major step in improving training quality.
“Reliable transport keeps teaching consistent across all our sites. It strengthens the rural training pipeline and improves service delivery,” an FMHS official said.
The faculty added that additional resources will support the upcoming WSU Clinical Rural School in Lusikisiki, the first of its kind in the region.
Community Impact
The new vehicles will help maintain teaching schedules, reduce delays, and improve specialist outreach to underserved hospitals.
Moreover, the investment supports long-term efforts to grow medical skills within rural communities and improve patient outcomes across the Eastern Cape.
