EVATON. – The current situation that the Evaton Main Clinic is in deserves immediate attention.

Calls made to Sedibeng Ster by the community members of Evaton, about the state of the clinic, have revealed a serious situation and challenges that need instant attention to the clinic.

The Evaton Main Clinic is said to be a Provincial Clinic but the Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM) plays oversight part.

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The clinic has a very old building that requires maintenance from outside, and inside because the walls are cracked, and the concrete ceiling is falling.

“It has been years now that the situation has been like this, we have reported, but nothing is being done. It seems as though authorities that a responsible are ignoring us,” said a staff member at the clinic, wishing to remain anonymous.

The clinic doesn’t have running water inside and patients do not have access to water. The patient toilets are six for both male and female patients, but only two are working, with all the others having plumbing problems.

Further investigations revealed that there’s no proper lighting outside the clinic at night and as a result the diesel that is meant for the backup generator is constantly stolen.

The following were also uncovered:

• The clinic entrance or main doors do not have locks, and that means that the clinic equipment and medication is at risk of being stolen.
• The clinic apparently has only one emergency bed.
• The clinic has a huge leaking water pipe at the back that has been leaking for almost two years and the water has penetrated the clinic from below causing wall decay and cracks to the clinic walls.
• Inside doors for patient room do not have locks.

Ward 42 Councillor, Ayanda Ngubane said that the SDM MMC of Health said the municipality does not have funds to aid the situation faced by the clinic and that provincial government is responsible.

“ The sad thing is that when things break the clinic only has R500 for petty cash which is never enough to fix the many problems that the clinic faces, Ngubane said.

It is said that at times the clinic staff, including security guards, would contribute money so that minor problems can fixed. The personnel, it is said, even bought a high solar mass light from their own pockets so that the premises can have light at night but unfortunately that light is now also broken.

Sedibeng Ster sent an enquiry to the Gauteng Department of Health, which said that the clinic falls under the jurisdiction of Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM); however, it (Gauteng Department of Health) is providing support for the clinic’s minor infrastructure repairs that require urgent attention, and all major infrastructure challenges have been brought to the municipality’s attention.

“The clinic has running water, however, taps for drinking water are outside. The Gauteng Department of Health is aware of the challenges and the matter has been referred to the Emfuleni Local Municipality to request assistance in fixing this major infrastructure challenge,” said the departments’ spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba.

He added that that department provides 24-hour security services at the clinic.

“Although the streetlights are currently not working, affecting the surrounding area, established protocols are followed to ensure accountability in the event of any wrongdoing. The clinic’s limited capacity means it can only accommodate a single emergency bed for stabilising patients prior to referral for further management at a higher level of care.”

Modiba further said that the leak on the pipes is continuously being sealed as a contingency measure while awaiting the ELM to fully repair the pipes.

The district, he ended, is in the process of fixing the doors.