Patients wait for medical care at Ermelo Hospital

Outpatients at the Ermelo Provincial Hospital dental clinic have been turned away and not provided with medical care, allegedly due to dirty waiting and surgical rooms.

The hospital is allegedly not operating with a full staff complement with staff present refusing to treat patients due to lack of overtime and unhygienic working conditions.

A reliable source who spoke on a condition of anonymity confirmed the allegations, saying there are not enough cleaners with just one or two cleaners at the hospital, leaving some departments dirty and not conducive to treating patients.

The source added that such practices have been going on for months with management turning a blind eye, refusing to pay overtime or hiring more cleaners, resulting in patients hardly being treated after noon during the week and not at all on the weekends.

The issue came to the Highvelder’s attention via two people who had been seeking medical care unsuccessfully.

The two had been at the dental clinic for days with no indication being given when they would be assisted, resulting in their problems worsening.

“I have been here since Monday and I have been told to wait. It’s Wednesday now and still I am waiting. Worst is I have paid my last R25 to open a file and I have to sit here in the cold and dirty rooms, only to be turned away at lunch with them telling me to come tomorrow. Tomorrow it will be the same process again,” one of the complainants said.

One complainant was suffering with a tooth abcess while the other needed a regular check-up.

When the Highvelder visited the waiting room at the dental clinic last Thursay, it was packed with waiting patients.

The Department of Health could not comment by the time of going to print.

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