Senior citizens over the moon to hear clinics will put them ahead in queue

Senior citizens in Mamelodi are elated that the Tshwane health department has taken the decision to prioritise the vulnerable at its facilities.

Tshwane recently decided to give senior citizens first preference at clinics.

Section 79 chairperson for health Cllr Peggy de Bruin welcomed the move after she noted a high demand for healthcare in the city during her oversight visits to different facilities.

She said this initiative aims to address the long queues and waiting period at clinics, which have been a challenge for elderly citizens.

According to De Bruin monitoring systems will be put in place to ensure the initiative is indeed benefitting senior citizens as implemented.

“While ensuring this implementation does not negatively impact other patients, the committee, in its role of overseeing the work of the city’s health department, will closely monitor the progress to guarantee quality care and service at all city clinics,” she said.

She emphasised that she would like to see this initiative being implemented at clinics in all seven regions of the city, so that the vulnerable in communities are able to receive the necessary healthcare.

Mamelodi senior citizens William Malefo, Elizabeth Masemola and Martha Phahlane expressed acceptance and happiness over this initiative. They shared their experiences of waiting in long queues for hours.

“I usually get my treatment early. We are suffering a lot as older people because I often wake up early and arrive at the clinic around 05:00, only to return in the afternoon. I would greatly appreciate if the initiative were implemented correctly rather than being an unfulfilled promise,” said Malefo.

Masemola added, “I am very happy with the initiative, because I believe it will help break barriers that prevent us older people from accessing healthcare in time.”

Masemola said she wakes up around 04:00, at the latest 05:00, in the hope that she would be helped in time.

“I would come back home exhausted and hungry from the long queue therefore I believe the initiative will be of great benefit to us,” she said.

Phahlane expressed happiness over the initiative, saying, “I think it is a great initiative because we will no longer stand in long lines at the clinic as we will get the first priority.”

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