Community members in a section of Botshabelo in the Free State closed their local clinic last Wednesday in protest against a staff shortage at the facility, saying this was responsible for the high volume of patients and long waiting times.
They locked the doors to Potlako Motlohi clinic with workers inside and camped outside waiting for the Health Department officials to address them, writes Molefi Somane in Health-e News.
Sello Moketa, who led the protest, said an average waiting time was more than three hours, and that only two nurses were available to help more than 200 people a day, meaning numerous patients had to return to the clinic the next day for assistance.
Calling for the Health Department’s urgent intervention, David Molawa, a member of the clinic’s committee, said the patients’ grievances were important.
“We have appealed to senior management in the department, and both the ward councillor and council speaker, to attend a meeting with the representative of the community and the workers,” he said.
Ward councillor Teboho Fantisi said the clinic was a mainstay for the community but needed more staff.
Mangaung Metro Council Speaker Maryke Davies agreed the facility was short staffed. “The clinic serves more than 5 000 residents with just two professional nurses. The community is correct in calling for more health workers and it’s good that they did this …” she said.
The Free State Health Department acknowledged the staffing shortage, with spokesperson Mondli Mvambi saying budget cuts prevented it from employing more nurses.
The district manager and the primary health care manager had been to Potlako Motlohi clinic and held a meeting with the clinic committee and the ward councillor, added Mvambi, after which the clinic was reopened.
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