The RECORD recently did a site visit with councillor Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, DA spokesperson for EMM’s health and social development department, and DA councillor of Ward 37 Tiaan Kotzé at the Alberton North clinic.
The clinic provides health care to a large area in Alberton and helps almost 5 000 patients per month.
Sister Margret Mashigo, head of the facility, took us through the clinic to show us how they operate and she also raised some of her concerns. One of her biggest concerns is the lack of space at the clinic.
“We would love to help more people in a day, but due to the lack of space we can’t appoint more staff because we do not have room for them.”
Operating the clinic
The 31 staff members are trying their best to provide health services to the community with all the challenges they face daily.
More than 150 patients get seen daily and on a very busy day they see up to 250 patients. Currently, they have a system in place where some staff members are working from the clinic’s garage to assist patients with their chronic medication.
“This is to make it easier for patients to get their medicine. We are experiencing a problem with stock, but so are the rest of the clinics in South Africa and this is why we can’t provide patients with stock for more than a month,” said Mashigo.
“It has been hectic working at the clinic, but through God’s grace we make it,” she said.
Coping with Covid-19
When you arrive at the clinic you will find sanitiser bins at each entrance. A staff member is ready at the door to take your temperature.
Inside the clinic, they are adhering to the social distancing rule.
“We have a major issue with patients standing outside queues as they are not adhering to the social distancing rule. I would go out and ask them to social distance and as soon as I turn my back they will go back to standing near each other,” said Mashigo.
According to her, the clinic has been closed a couple of times due to positive Covid-19 cases but re-opened after two to three days.
“During those days, the clinic was deep cleaned and made everything ready for re-opening. “We still provide services when we are closed by operating from our guardhouse to supply people with their chronic medication, however, it has been a challenge to provide our normal clinic services during those times as we do not have our own mobile clinic and there is no space to put up a tent.”
Mashigo also showed us that the clinic has enough Covid-19 test kits and has enough stock for everything related to Covid-19.
So far, the clinic only had one positive Covid-19 patient, but more than four staff members tested positive for Covid-19 in the last few months.
Other concerns
“One of the biggest challenges the clinic faces is the lack of space, but I think what was even more concerning is the shortage of staff, which led to the clinic manager allowing the clinic cleaner to help with blood test work, ” said Clr Rasilingwane.
“My other concern was the tent which was delivered months ago, which is just kept at the storage room due to no space,” she said.
Clr Kotzé said that the clinic needs to get better internet or network.
“They are experiencing a lot of network problems and it affects their telephone lines,” he said.
According to him, he did have the Alberton North Clinic on his ward’s IDP and provincial list, but he was told that the province is now responsible for building clinics.
Another issue is the parking area, not only for patients but also for the staff members.
“I am going to take this up with the department to see what solutions we can get for these problems. I can also see that the staff members at the Alberton North Clinic are giving their best under these circumstances,” said Rasilingwane.
• The RECORD requested comment from EMM.
