Petition about long Rabie Ridge Clinic queues
MIDRAND - The Democratic Alliance in the Rabie Ridge region has launched a petition against the queues at the local clinic, which they claim has been signed by 700 people.
“The service is so slow that queuing begins as early as 5am and patients can sit in the waiting room for up to three hours,” exclaimed DA councillor, Richard Newby.
According to Newby, the early start was due to people desperate to get to the front of the queue so that they could be at work on time. “However futile this may be,” he said.
Newby said the queues were not the only complaint residents had against the clinic.
“[Often times, patients are told that] the medicine is finished because of late delivery and no transport.”
Newby said one group of pregnant women told him that they had allegedly been waiting for stock of a particular kind of vitamin pill for at least three months.
Nkosinathi Nkabinde, communications specialist at the City of Johannesburg, identified the supplements as Ferrous Sulphate and Folic Acid.
“There was a short supply [two supplements] given to pregnant mothers. Emergency orders were done and the supply has been received.”
Nkabinde said the Rabie Ridge Clinic has a staff of six professional nurses who see an average of 50 patients per day.
He confirmed that it could be that patients can wait up to three hours at the clinic. “The average waiting time at the clinic ranges between one to three hours.”
Nkabinde has sighted that the staff at the clinic could be overwhelmed by the amount of people and the services they offer.
“The clinic is also housing Mental Health services from Halfway House Clinic which is temporarily closed for upgrading and renovations.”
“Patients are also urged to utilise the Nizamiye Clinic in Midrand next to the Mosque which is now fully functional and is currently under utilised.”
Although Nkabinde said the clinic often overlaps beyond 4pm which is the scheduled closing time, Newby said it is not always the case. “Often times, at 4pm, patients are told that the clinic is closed.”
As for the petition, Nkabinde said it will only be noted once it has been submitted. “It will then be given to the City’s petitions committee and we shall respond to it accordingly.”
