Health MEC conducts unannounced visit to Buite Clinic in Polokwane
Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego acknowledged that the clinic is under pressure, with a limited number of consultation rooms serving a growing population and handling emergency cases.
POLOKWANE – Ineffective communication between staff and patients at Buite Clinic remains a significant concern, even for Limpopo’s recently appointed Health MEC, Dieketseng Mashego.
During an unannounced visit to the clinic last Tuesday, Mashego encountered complaints from patients about the queues moving at a slow pace.
This issue is, however, not new.
Former Health MEC now premier, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, paid a similar visit to the clinic in June last year, where she pointed out the “unbearably long queues”, attributing the problem to poor planning and communication among staff.
Read more: Health MEC highlights lack of planning at Buite Clinic
Mashego acknowledged that the clinic is under pressure, with a limited number of consultation rooms serving a growing population and handling emergency cases. However, she stressed that patients were often left uninformed about the reasons behind the delays, leading to frustration and misunderstandings.
She urged the clinic’s management to improve communication and keep patients in the loop about such challenges.
Some parents, especially those with children receiving immunisations, expressed frustration about the lack of prioritisation.
Mashego clarified after consulting with the staff that newborns receiving their first immunisations are given priority.
In one case, Annah Mabina, whose six-year-old daughter was gravely ill, complained that her child had not been prioritised, only to find out later that the case was not considered an emergency. Unfortunately, this information had not been communicated to her.
Despite the communication issues, Mashego noted that the clinic’s pharmacy was well-stocked, and other operations were “running smoothly”.
