The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) presented a memorandum containing a plethora of grievances to the Ekurhuleni Metro, on July 24.
This followed a march through the streets of Daveyton, to the Daveyton Main Clinic, where the document was handed over.
Among the grievances were claims that the clinic has introduced a numbering system at the gate which violates the rights of patients, and that the ambulances are being used as taxis, while patients die waiting for them.
“This system forces patients to disclose their health conditions at the gate in front of everybody,” said TAC branch chairman Senzo Zwane.
The clinic also does not have infection control.
“We go to the clinic for health, but come back with TB,” said Zwane.
The metro was also told to sort out the issue of municipal ambulances “which have become local taxis”.
“Provincial ambulances also get lost, as they don’t know local directions and this, too, has led to unnecessary deaths,” said Zwane.
The TAC further complained that the clinic is understaffed, which leads to people dying in the queue.
“People start queuing here as early as 4am, and some still go home without being assisted,” said Zwane.
The TAC said this shortage has caused the 4 000 patients who are on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to default.
“We now demand that this clinic should have a dietician, full time doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists,” said Zwane.
He added that the Ekurhuleni district is far behind when it comes to reaching the target of the National Strategic Plan on HIV, STIs and TB, which is why the campaign also demands that Pap smears be done every day as part of in ART, as women who are living with HIV/Aids are at a high risk dying of cervical cancer.
The memorandum also demanded that the Daveyton Main Clinic be extended and that the Mayfield Clinic be built speedily, to take the burden off the Daveyton Main Clinic.
The clinic apparently sees up to 11 000 patients a week.
The metro promised to respond within seven days.
