Talana re-opens after DoH relents

A public outcry, which resulted in a petition being signed by over 5 000 people, has seen the Department of Health relent and recommission the Talana Sub-Acute Clinic’s license to operate.

The clinic’s closure put more than 100 jobs at risk and caused anguish among Courier readers, who said the DoH was also risking the lives of many patients who used the clinic, which serves the entire Umzinyathi district and beyond. At the time, the DoH said the license had been withdrawn because of issues of infrastructure and standard operating procedures.

In a statement, Dr Sandile Tshabalala, Head of the KwaZulu-Natal DoH, said: “The issues identified in a previous inspection of the Talana Sub-Acute Clinic have been resolved and the facility is now ready for use and may be recommissioned. The next inspection will be the annual re-licensing inspection in a year’s time. Dr Jan ‘Plankie’ Fourie, who opened the clinic in 1999, said previously there had never been an issue regarding the re-licensing of the facility.

“It is good news that the DoH has allowed us to re-open. We have had nearly three months of agony. The other good news is that the DoH has approved plans for our extension, which includes a 30-bed facility to be built where the parking area is, adjacent to McKenzie Street. This is great news for healthcare in our area, where there is such a desperate need (for healthcare).” Dr Fourie said he envisioned changing the existing clinic into a dialysis centre for which, he said, there was also a dire need.

He told the Courier he hoped to have the extension completed by the end of 2020.

Read the full story in this week’s Courier.

Related story:

Closure of the Talana Sub-Acute Clinic is lunacy

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