Limpopo health MEC activates 24-hour operations at Mohlaletse Clinic

The call by local communities to have Mohlaletse Clinic operate on 24-hour basis has been answered.

Limpopo health MEC, Phophi Ramathuba, activated the clinic to provide 24-hour services to communities in and around Fetakgomo Tubatse on November 5.

Ramathuba said this resolution is part of the 2023/24 budget speech commitments.
She committed to have most clinics offering around-the-clock services by the end of this financial year in all districts across the province, to provide access to medical treatment, reduce pressure on emergency rooms, and ensure continuity of care.

“There has been an increasing demand for 24-hour medical services, especially in rural areas where people must travel long distances to seek medical attention,” said Ramathuba.

She declared 2023 the year of primary healthcare, as the activation of 24-hour services in clinics is a positive development in this sector.

She emphasised concerns about incidents in which staff members and security personnel have been attacked during their duty at clinics, which negatively impacted their morale and service to the community.

Ramathuba encouraged the traditional leaders and the community to support and safeguard clinics as they serve a vital function in providing healthcare services.

Meanwhile, the Bolsheviks Party of South Africa (BPSA) said the timing of the extending of operating hours is mere electioneering.

“We are disappointed that this long and much-needed extension of services is only done now as we head into by-elections in the area, contested by the ANC, the EFF and the BPSA. This clinic should have been allowed to operate on a 24-hour basis since its inception, as there is no hospital in the area,” said the party’s leader, Seun Mogotji.