Closed clinic causes panic
JOHANNESBURG - Many local residents have been left stranded due to the recent closure of Orchards Clinic in Oaklands due to renovations. Ward 73 councillor Marcelle Ravid has received numerous complaints from residents due the closure of the clinic and lack of help from alternative clinics.
Patients have been advised to visit nearby clinics such as Hillbrow, Yeoville and Alexandra while the clinic is being renovated. Patients have however been refused help on numerous occasions, with staff members from the clinics indicating that they have been instructed from health departments to not help patients from Orchards Clinic.
Rosslyn Chinsamy,Ward 73 committee member responsible for environment and infrastructure, expressed her concerns. “This is now a major problem because patients with chronic ailments are now sent from pillar to post to obtain medication. We cannot expect residents from our ward to travel all the way to Alexandra Clinic,” said Chinsamy. Many of the residents residing in the north eastern suburbs are foreign nationals and fear visiting clinics in the townships because of the xenophobic attacks the nation is currently facing.
After numerous cries for help to the ward councillors Ravid says, “Instructions have been given to nearby clinics to accept all patients from Orchards Clinic.” A meeting was held last week where staff members from nearby clinics were instructed to help patients who come from Orchards Clinic. Ravid has said an old FNB building in Orange Grove has also been donated to the City for a temporary clinic and the City had not answered questions about why it was not being used.
Johannesburg Development Agency is investigating further alternatives.
