A day at the clinic, wasted
SOPHIATOWN - The Sophiatown Clinic has come under fire from members of the local community for unnecessary waiting periods and lack of quality service.
Newlands resident Carika Dadswell alleges she arrived at the Sophiatown clinic at 9am on 15 January and stayed until closing without being seen. Instead she was told to leave her 3-year-old’s clinic book at reception and return the next day.
“Where must we go? If we are told to go to our local clinic and they are chasing us away? I spent the entire day there with about 50 people not seen either, some with babies sicker than mine.”
Dadswell said there was no numbering system and not enough staff to attend to those needing care.
“Only one person was on duty and when I asked why they told us one staff member was on leave and another was training so there was just one qualified nurse seeing all adults and children.”
Virginia Musime, Acting Regional Deputy Director of the Johannesburg Health Department, said she could not verify the allegations as she had no records or complaints of the event. Though there was urgency over email from representatives within the department, to address the complaint before going to press.
“When it comes to January and February we usually experience the problem of not having enough people on duty,” explained Musime. “We usually ask staff from other clinics to complement the short staff and it is our priority to monitor waiting time at all facilities in Region B.”
Still, according to Daswell, for 50 or so people left at the clinic on that evening it was a day wasted because the need for replacement staff was not communicated.
“As a community it is your right to complain so we can measure ourselves. We encourage everyone to use the complaint box or complaint officer to tell us how we are doing,” remarked Musime.
Have you seen a complaint box in your local clinic? Drop us a mail at nmt@caxton.co.za
