The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) has said more efforts will be put in place to ensure social distancing at clinics, including Leondale Clinic.
In a statement, DA Germiston constituency head Michele Clarke MP said the party was concerned by a lack of social distancing experienced during an oversight inspection to Leondale Clinic on June 4.
Clark was joined on the oversight inspection to Leondale Clinic by councillor Kade Guerreiro, the DA spokesperson on the health committee for Ekurhuleni, and councillor Khathutshelo Magwedze.
Clarke said the facility was not enforcing social distancing protocols of one metre or screening people as they entered.
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Lack of enforcement of social distancing was one of several problems observed at the clinic.
Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe said despite advice from staff, patients do not comply with social distancing regulations.
“More measures will be put in place to indicate the safe distance on the floor and assistance has been requested from Aurum (Ekurhuleni’s partner) to assist personnel in queue marshalling the waiting line.
“All employees and all visitors in the clinics are screened daily and this will be enforced at Leondale Clinic if not done. Previously, all the clinics had one thermometer, but currently all the clinics have two thermometers to fast track screening in the morning,” Gadebe said.
According to Clarke, no Covid-19 tests were being conducted at the Leondale Clinic and the clinic staff received one month’s supply of personal protective masks that are in many instances faulty and snapping around the ears.
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Gadebe said all clinics have stock of the test kits and the Leondale Clinic had conducted tests during the week of June 12.
He added that faulty PPE was not reported to management for the appropriate action to be taken.
“We are following up on this issue with the relevant supplier,” he said.
Another issue brought to Clarke’s attention was a shortage in antiretroviral medication.
“The clinic has a chronic shortage of antiretroviral drugs, which poses a huge risk for HIV-infected patients in terms of co-morbidity and the risk of contracting Covid-19,” Clarke said.
“The clinic has anti-retroviral drugs available. The stock levels were just low and limited stock was issued in line with the guideline received to ensure that stock levels are managed. The clinic was not out of stock during the investigation,” Gadebe said.
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