Al-Qalam 
By Al-Qalam Reporter
The Islamic Medical Association of South Africa (IMASA) has launched an innovative medical service in Parktown, Johannesburg, where patients can be assessed by volunteer doctors who will provide treatment options – including for those who do not have the means.
The Hub – as it is called – is not a fully operational hospital or free walk-in medical centre. Instead, it is a facility that operates on a referral basis by doctors and is designed to complement existing healthcare services rather than replace them.
According to the IMASA Executive team, the focus is on areas where patients experience the greatest delays, particularly specialist consultations, diagnostic investigations and continuity of treatment for chronic conditions.
Dr Ahmed Vachiat, Health Hub Coordinator, told Al-Qalam that the initiative grew out of patterns doctors were already seeing in their practices. “Many patients don’t necessarily need hospital admission, but they do need timely assessment, specialist input and coordinated support. The Hub is about bridging those gaps,” he said.
How does it work? Patients are referred by doctors to the Health Hub facility for specific assessments or investigations. Referrals may come from community clinics, NGOs, healthcare professionals, faith-based organisations or through a structured self-referral process.
The healthcare team examines eligibility. Once deemed eligible, assessments and certain services are provided on-site. However, the Hub does not assume long-term responsibility for patient care. After services are rendered, patients are referred back to their primary healthcare providers for ongoing management.
With regards to services offered, the property for the Hub has only recently been secured and facilities are still being developed. In its early phase, radiology and chemical pathology services are being planned. Specialist assessments and allied healthcare services, such as dietetics and psychology, will also be available.
For example, a cancer patient may require radiological staging, cardiology clearance before chemotherapy, or support from allied healthcare professionals during treatment. While these services exist in the public healthcare system, access can be significantly delayed. The Hub aims to provide these services to eligible patients in a timely manner.
However, IMASA stresses that the Hub is not primarily responsible for diagnosing or treating complex diseases. Its role is to complement and support care already being provided elsewhere.
Services at the Hub are offered at reduced cost through volunteer healthcare practitioners. For patients who cannot afford treatment, subsidised or charitable care will be provided based on clear criteria, including financial need, medical urgency and lack of reasonable access to alternative services.
Funding for subsidised care comes from donations to the Hub, which also supports structural and administrative costs. Dr Shoyab Wadee, IMASA Gauteng Treasurer, told Al-Qalam that sustainability has been a central consideration from the outset.
IMASA has indicated that patient dignity, fairness and transparency guide the allocation of charitable funding, with structured assessment processes and governance oversight in place.
One of the future goals of the Hub is to introduce weekly dialysis sessions for a limited number of patients who are unable to access public-sector dialysis.
Patient eligibility will be stringently assessed by a medical team led by nephrologists. Because dialysis is a costly and resource-intensive treatment, this service will be introduced gradually, with limited capacity expanding over time as funding allows.
Subsidies will be available and patients unable to afford treatment will be supported based on financial assessment and medical need.
IMASA emphasises that the Health Hub is not intended to compete with public healthcare services, but rather to support patients in navigating them more effectively.
The initiative is built on volunteerism and professional collaboration. Several specialists are contributing their services within defined scopes of practice.
Dr Vachiat reiterated that continuity of care remains clear. “Patients are never discharged into a vacuum. Ongoing responsibility remains with their primary healthcare providers,” he said.
While still in development, the Parktown Health Hub represents IMASA’s attempt to respond to growing healthcare strain with a structured, referral-based model focused on specialist access, diagnostics and continuity of care.
Its long-term impact will depend on sustainable funding, practitioner capacity and the evolving needs of the communities it aims to serve. While IMASA is a faith-based organisation, the Hub is open to all patients regardless of faith, ethnicity or background.
