The MMC for Health and Social Development Mpho Phalatse has temporarily shut down Albert Street Clinic on Albert Street in Johannesburg due to compromised building infrastructure.
This follows after Phalatse tabled a report at the Mayoral Committee meeting on the challenges that the clinic was facing due to dire environmental health issues in and around the facility.
“A unanimous decision was taken to temporarily close down the clinic and relocate services to the nearest health care facilities to ensure that primary healthcare services continue. The decision comes following an assessment by the City’s environmental health inspectors, who declared it a bad building,” said stakeholder manager at Phalatse’s office, Lesego Mathibela.
Mathibela said environmental health practitioners have been reporting about the untenable environmental health hazards that have been developing over time in and around the clinic. “The current conditions in the clinic are clearly in contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Labour Relations Act that require our health workers to work in a healthy and conducive environment,” added Mathibela.
“The clinic is situated on the first floor in the Heritage Building that is surrounded by an informal settlement and car repairs small businesses. There is a number of unknown occupants in the building. Some of the occupants allegedly belonged to an NGO that worked with the provincial Department of Social Development. Illegal squatters who have moved into the building continue to compromise the facility [clinic] which was recently repaired.”
Mathibela further revealed that water was seeping through the walls into the health facility as squatters continued to partition the top floors of the building and illegally connect to the clinic’s water and electricity systems.
During a site visit on 21 January, Phalatse said she was shocked at the rapid decline of the building. She informed staff at the clinic that the temporary closure of the facility would be done properly to ensure that services rendered to patients were not compromised, especially those who are on chronic medication.
“As the custodians of environmental health in the city, we need to lead by example and abide by environmental health standards. This closure will enable us to do the right thing and give our residents the kind of service they deserve,” said Phalatse
A committee has been established to manage the closure and transfer of patients, staff and patients’ records to neighbouring clinics.
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