KAMSOGWABA – The Department of Health has confirmed it was not within its regulations to lock gates for patients to enter clinic premises before the opening time since it is a 07:00-16:00 service.
This was after community members complained to nurses and the security guards to open the gates so that the elders and mothers carrying new-born babies, could sit down on the premises while waiting for nurses.
The clinic has been plagued by many incidents. Late last year a woman had to gave birth outside the gate and she was helped by the very same female security guards who had locked the gate.
An anonymous source said,
“We always quarrel with the nurses. They don’t respect us, especially when they talk to the elders, they shout and call them funny names. If this clinic had a camera, I am absolutely sure that many precious lives would have been saved. In some cases you find very critical patients being laid down on the grass. When it rains, we sit under trees and we lose our sense of dignity. Worse is yet to come if they don’t change their terrible behaviour,” concluded an anonymous patient.
Mpumalanga News spoke to community members who were standing outside the gate at 06:45. One said,
“I came here at 04:00 to register and went back home since I cannot wait outside. I always catch a taxi since I come from Lihawu to Nkambule where the clinic is situated. The clinic is extremely small to accommodate about 200 patients. We have to wait outside, especially on Mondays. I once went home without being attended to.”
Spokesperson for the Department of Health, Mr Dumisani Malamule said,
“Nobody is allowed to lock the gate to patients to gain entry to the clinic premises. We will have a meeting with the department of safety and security to deal with employees who do whatever suits them, as these patients have rights too,” said Malamule.
