Foreign nationals occupying patient slots, locals being turned away, and staff reportedly locking themselves in offices for hours are among the frustrations for residents.
They were voicing their concerns in a crowded Walmer Township Multipurpose Centre on Friday during a public engagement led by Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature speaker Helen Sauls-August.
The programme was established to address challenges of availability and access to quality treatment in the Nelson Mandela metro.
It was also a follow-up to a May outreach conducted by Sauls-August in the Walmer area after receiving community concerns that patients were missing out on treatment due to challenges at public health facilities.
The engagement was also attended by acting health district manager Tandisizwe Ndamase, Bay council speaker Eugene Johnson and Ward 4 councillor Nozuko Tys.
The biggest concerns raised included the eight-hour operating hours of the clinic at the township, and that patients were being turned away by staff who allegedly went on breaks for hours at a time.
One resident said that for several months now she had not been able to get a referral for an oncologist because of the staffing issue.
Thenjiwe Nonimba, 54,who is visually impaired, said the record-keeping at the clinic was shocking.
“A person can end up having four cards because the nurses have no clue where a patient’s file is kept,” she said.
“While you urgently need to see a doctor, there is no record of the medical history.
“There is also no empathy for sick people and we are begging them to please take us seriously.”
She also slammed the department for allegedly not providing support for physically challenged patients.
“There is nothing to show that our government cares about disabled people there.
“How will a doctor assist a deaf person when there is no-one there to help them with sign language?”
Ntombethemba Kiviti said the clinic needed to be open 24 hours a day because it was the closest primary care facility in the township.
“I have a child with asthma who I have to take to Dora Nginza Hospital at night because the clinic is closed,” she said.
An Airport Valley resident who did not want to be named, complained how foreign nationals were allegedly receiving priority treatment.
“They insist that only a certain number of people can be taken in per day,” she said.
“Foreigners wake up early to queue and by the time we arrive all the spots are already taken and we —the people of this country — get turned away.
“I had to fight for my sick daughter to be let in.
“They turned her away even though she was sick. Where are we supposed to go?”
Responding to the complaints, Ndamase said the booking system was introduced because of staff shortages, but the department had been rolling out programmes such as mobile clinics.
“We recommend that people with chronic conditions register with our system so that you can be assisted with treatment at a pickup point and not have to wait in line at a clinic,” Ndamase said.
“If you are stable you can be enrolled with that programme so you can collect your [medication] at your own time at our drop-off point.
“But even with the system, if you are disabled, elderly or a pregnant woman, you will always be prioritised.”
He said there were also plans to open a new district hospital in New Brighton to alleviate pressure from hospitals like Dora Nginza.
“In the whole metro, only the Uitenhage hospital is a district hospital.
“Dora and Livingstone hospitals are regional and tertiary services respectively.
“So when you go there, you might not be able to get level one services.”
Ndamase encouraged people to use complaint boxes about staff professionalism.
“With foreigners, we cannot do otherwise because our constitution says access to health care is a right for anyone who needs it. So we cannot deny them, especially in cases of emergencies,” he said.
Sauls-August said it was concerning that the same issues which were highlighted in May were ongoing.
The Herald
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.