STAFF and patients at the Esselenpark mobile clinic have to use toilets of neighbouring houses.
During a recent oversight visit with local DA councillor, Ruth Shabalala, the DA found that due to the broken down mobile clinic, nursing staff are forced to work from the dilapidated building the mobile unit shares premises with.
The DA calls on Gauteng Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, to urgently address serious infrastructure and sanitation issues at the site.
“Even more shocking was the complete lack of sanitation facilities, forcing patients and staff having to use toilets of neighbouring houses,” Refiloe Nt’sekhe, MPL DA shadow MEC: social development, said.
“The lack of access to water and toilet facilities poses a huge health risk to both patrons and clinic staff. Failure to provide a clean and safe working environment compromises the quality of health care and will cause the potential spread of disease,” she said.
To this end, the DA will write to Mahlangu demanding the health department provides decent sanitation facilities to this clinic. “We will also submit written questions to the MEC to explain the general state of repair of all mobile clinics in the province, and whether the sites where they are located have access to basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation.”
