Long queues in hot sun at clinic

The long queue of patients at Shakaskraal Clinic raises a question of whether the department of health has taken note of the huge increase in the numbers of people attending the clinic.

According to a nurse who asked to remain anonymous, the clinic was built to cater for 2500 people a month but now there are nearly 8000 people attending the clinic every month.

There are 300 to 400 people a day coming to the clinic and as a result the veranda is too small to provide enough shade for the long queues.

You will find elderly people and women with their babies standing in the sun.

“Even if it is raining, they will stand in the queue with no shelter until they are attended to,” said one of the nurses.

Adequate shelter is needed so that patients do not have to stand for long hours at the mercy of the elements while they wait to be helped.

“No one goes home without being helped but the sad part is that there is not enough space for them to stand and wait,” said the nurse.

Another issue at the clinic that creates a bad impression, is the issue of cleaners.

From the beginning of the year there have been no cleaners employed at the clinic and according to the nurses this makes it difficult to work.

The clinic staff are deeply grateful to volunteers Sthando Nene and Smiso Mthetwa from Tshawini who have been coming to help at the clinic since the second week of January.

The two volunteers are unemployed.

It is their dream to start a cleaning company, so helping at the clinic is seen as a positive step by them.

DA councillor Faith Govender and some DA members have also been to help clean at the clinic at the beginning of the month.

There had been no reply to our questions to the regional department of health office on these issues by the time of going to print.