Editor – I, as a local councillor, was outraged at what can only be called shocking service rendered at the Acaciavale clinic.
An 84-year-old woman had to sit and wait at the clinic from about 7am to 2.30pm without food or anything to drink before she was attended to. To make matters worse, she only received a quarter of her medication she is supposed to get because of a lack of stock. Nurses should have known that it is dangerous for an elderly woman with diabetes or any other serious chronic illness to sit for so long without anything to drink or eat.
“I am very disappointed that the Minister (of Health) gave out a circular stating that if you miss your appointment, you will be seen last.”
The nurses didn’t ask why the woman missed her appointment, but just went along with the circular and left the pensioner to be seen to last. In actual fact, the lady couldn’t make it due to a funeral that was held at her house and the only available date she could go was February 6. I ask, is the Minister qualified to make such a decision?
Other patients attending the clinic that day were concerned about the elderly lady’s well-being, and so they phoned me. I arrived at 2.30pm and saw what was going on. I saw the staff chase people from one side of the room to the other just to wash the floors, and the people who go to the clinic are sick and need medicine. This is unacceptable!
This clinic helps people from Roosboom, Ezakheni and Driefontein, making it extremely busy. On that specific day, there were only three nurses when I got there. There should have been seven qualified nurses. Evidently, one resigned, another was on leave and another was off sick for the day. Until today, these nurses have not been replaced or substitutes found to put in their place.
When the clinic opened, it advertised that it would be a 24/7 open-door clinic and it is not.
Is the Minister failing the community of Ladysmith again? What was seen is that there is not enough medication for the patients. Is the Minister under-budgeting for medication and over-budgeting for recreational sports?
The patients want the suggestion box put back up and want to know why it was removed in the first place. We urge that the old and disabled be seen first so they don’t collapse and die there in the clinic, and so they can get back home to where they are comfortable. Nobody wants to go to the clinic, but they go because they have to and then they receive this kind of treatment.
