Opinion: Health centre suffers due to lack of water
This facility has both a busy maternity ward and an equally busy casualty section with anything up to 500 patients a day.
I have, for the past six months or so, had to attend the Mfundo Arnold Lushaba Community Health Centre (formerly Turton Community Health Centre) for medical reasons.
On each visit conditions at the clinic have deteriorated to such an extent that on my last visit I was appalled by what was happening there.
From trying to get through the sewage in the road at the entrance, to seeing how the staff are battling to attend to patients – all because there is no water.
Having enquired of the staff what is causing this state of affairs, it all comes down to water. No water to wash hands. No water to flush toilets. No water to wash patients – this in a facility that has both a busy maternity ward and an equally busy casualty section with anything up to 500 patients a day.
One further point – don’t try and phone the clinic …..it appears the telephones are out of order.
From what I have observed, the clinic serves mostly the rural area around Hibberdene. The nearest government hospital is in Port Shepstone – too far for many people to travel to.
The Premier, on his oversight trip to the Ugu water facilities earlier this month, stated that he would be looking into the water problems of the KZN South Coast. A visit to this facility would emphasise the need for urgent action. This is a crisis that needs to be attended to.
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