Decongesting primary healthcare facilities
The City of Ekurhuleni has successfully implemented 10 medicine pick-up points at identified clinics for patients on chronic medication.
On average, 60 percent of patients visiting primary healthcare facilities across Ekurhuleni are stable patients only there to collect their chronic medication.
Ideally, these patients should not be queuing for a long time to receive their prescriptions.
The City of Ekurhuleni has successfully implemented 10 medicine pick-up points at identified clinics for patients on chronic medication.
This is part of the city’s programme to decongest its health facilities and reduce waiting times.
Stable patients are those who have undergone a minimum of six medical reviews and their medical records confirm their adherence to the medication.
Once a health practitioner has given the go-ahead for a patient to collect their prescription, a consent form will be signed, to be enrolled to collect their two months’ treatment from a pick-up at an identified health facility.
The operating hours for the pick-up points are from 7am to 4.30pm.
“Patients will no longer have to miss work just to collect their medication, as this newly-introduced programme accommodates those wishing to collect their medication before heading to work.
“We do, however, encourage stable patients on chronic medication to still visit the health facilities for reviews should they have any other ailments,” said the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality’s (EMM) spokesperson, Mr Themba Gadebe.
The municipality is currently in the process of identifying additional sites outside the premises of primary healthcare for patients to conveniently collect their medication closer to their homes.
