By OBAKENG MAJE
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Taung said there is overwhelming evidence that the quality of health care at Buxton clinic has been compromised. This comes after allegations that the clinic has only two nurses during the day.
EFF councillor, Loeto Modise said, last Friday, he visited the clinic and it was heart-breaking to see patients being left unattended without any nurse on sight.
“Indeed, the healthcare quality is at the brink of collapse at this clinic. Most patients alleged that they arrived at the clinic at around 5am, but only received assistance after I engaged with the staff. According to information, the clinic management allocates only two nurses per shift.
“However, this has a negative impact towards service delivery and our people must bear the brunt. So, we decided to visit the clinic today and have a consultative engagement with the clinic management. Unfortunately, the manager could not give us satisfactory answers,” he said.
Modise further said the manager said only her superiors can be able to answer their questions. He added that they will sit-in at the clinic until the district manager attends to their grievances.
“We call for improved quality care at the clinic. It cannot be 30 years of democracy, but our people continue to be subjected to this inhumane behaviour. Truly, a decline in quality health care has caused the public to lose trust in the healthcare system in South Africa.
“Some of patients come as far as Mokassa and other surrounding villages. They rely heavily on this clinic for quality healthcare. So, the clinic management must address the shortage of staff challenge that is being incurred and compromise quality in the healthcare at the clinic,” said Modise.
Meanwhile, the North West Department of Health’s acting spokesperson, Keletso Ratlhagane said: “The district monitors the Human Resources vacancy rates. When health professional posts become vacant, they are filled. The two posts that were vacated by the end of March 2024, will be advertised and filled accordingly.
“A post cannot be filled in less than a month as due process of recruitment and selection compliant with the Public Service Act, should be followed. The management has evidence of a professional nurse at the clinic, who communicated with a political party representative and Taung Media, regarding the shortage of staff at the clinic.”
Ratlhagane said this matter is viewed in a serious light as it is unethical for both the nurse and the journalist. She said the department has commenced with investigations to process a case of misconduct against the employee.
“The clinic is a 24-hour healthcare facility. So, there are nine professional nurses, a staff nurse and four nursing assistants and a medical officer, appointed at this facility.
“The average daily head count at the clinic is 84 patients and according to norms and standards, nurse-patient ratio is 40 patients a day. Shortage is when the nurse sees more patients than as indicated above. There is a doctor who visits the clinic daily to consult patients that are referred by professional nurses at the clinic,” said Ratlhagane.
She said their reports show that all patients, except those that arrived late, are seen before 4pm.
TaungDailyNews 