Public complains about town clinic

BURGERSFORT – “The public does not have to experience nor accept poor or no service at the clinic,” said Ms Adele van der Linde, spokesman for Limpopo Department of Health.

This came after several complaints regarding the local clinic surfaced during the past week. Ms Anna Maroba rushed to the clinic after her one-year-old boy burned with boiling water. She was told she had to provide her own bandages because there was none in stock.

After Ms Morabo told her story Martha, who doesn’t want her surname identified out of fear of being victimised, the latter said she too couldn’t receive her necessary high blood pressure pills at the clinic. According to her she had to go to Dilokong Hospital for her pills and even ended up being admitted for a few days.

Steelburger/Lydenburg news also reported on the death of Mr Johan Albertyn who was stung by bees in September. His daughter, Ms Cindy da Silva claimed that after reporting to the clinic for help on their way to hospital the nurses couldn’t help them with oxygen. Mr Albertyn died later that day in hospital.

There have also been claims that medicine is being sold at the clinic despite the fee charged per patient. Van der Linde said the department did not take these allegations lightly and an investigation would be launched and serious action taken against the guilty parties.

“Health services in Limpopo are for everyone and every resident of the province is entitled to good service. We encourage the public to report poor service, unacceptable behaviour by health workers, shortages of medicines and other surgical items and excessively long waiting times,” said Van der Linde.

According to her not enough people are aware of the complaint hotline. “The line is a direct channel to the management of the department and hospitals. Complaints can be made anonymously or with contact details for feedback. The line is currently only operational during office hours but the department is in the process of opening the line 24 hours and seven days a week. The toll-free number is 0800-91-91-91,” Van der Linde concluded.

Alternatively the public can insist to speak to the head of the clinic or the hospital’s CEO on the premises where the complaint arose.