​The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) walked away with the Best Stand Award amongst government departments exhibiting at the 2025 Rand Show.
The Rand Show Management presented the Department with the award on Monday, 21 April during the annual show's last day.
Yearly government departments use the gathering as an outreach opportunity to render services and provide attendees with helpful information.
The GDoH once more this year took healthcare services closer to the people by participating in the Rand Easter Show taking place at the Johannesburg Expo Centre from 17 to 21 April 2025, where the Department set up a dedicated exhibition area to provide comprehensive health services and share vital health information with the public.
This initiative aligns with the Department's commitment to strengthening health promotion and prevention through community engagement. 
Attendees had access to a variety of services including comprehensive health screening, HIV services, PrEP, TB screening, family planning, pap smear, immunisation, hypertension and diabetes screening, flu vaccination, and other general health promotion activities.
MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko who is also acting Premier of Gauteng received the award while visiting the pavilion. She engaged with healthcare professionals and Rand Show attendees who visited the Department's stand for various services. She also visited other departments.
"This award represents our commitment to bringing healthcare services closer to the people. We have intensified access to healthcare by not only rendering health services at traditional access points such as clinics and hospitals, but are going straight to spaces where communities gather to reduce the burden of disease," said the MEC. 
Amongst many exhibitions of the GDoH, the Gauteng Emergency Medical Services and Forensic Medical Services showcased their state-of-the-art medical equipment and vehicles, giving visitors a behind-the- scenes look at some of the essential work carried out by frontline teams. 
The Department also exhibited career and training opportunities in the health sector, encouraging young people and job seekers to consider healthcare as a viable andimpactful profession.
Since the first day of the Rand Show, 301 people visited the Department's information desk, 243 screened for diabetes and high blood pressure, 21 children received their measles vaccination, and 58 people got their flu vaccine. There are also 14 women who did a Pap smear to screen for signs of cervical cancer while 27 men did the Prostate-specific antigento screen for prostate cancer. 
Mandla Shongwe, one of the attendees who visited the GDoH stand said that he did not know that a moving ICU existed, where you can be held and treated, just like in a hospital, after seeing the Obstetrics Ambulance which is equipped with an incubator incase of a delivery while on the road and has advanced Defrebilator and Intensive Care Unit capabilities. 
"I was really surprised to learn that most of the equipment they have in there are contactless, and it's the same equipment you'd find in an actual ICU. For me, it was eye-opening to know that we have such advanced and mobile healthcare solutions. With the knowledge I gained today, I feel inspired. I want to try my best to teach and inform others especially those interested in perusing careers in healthcare. I think I might even pursue this further myself because I've honestly fallen in love with the idea of contributing to the community in this kind of way," said Shongwe.
This year's GDoH exhibition was themed around exposing efforts of the department to deliver world-class health infrastructure and technology while also emphasising the #AsibeHealthyGP campaign, which seeks to empower residents with knowledge and services to lead healthier lifestyles.