More than 100 people from several Cape Town townships marched to the Western Cape legislature this week to demand a new hospital in Gugulethu, saying the current facility, built more than half a century ago, can’t cope.
The march was organised by the Movement for Change and Social Justice (MCSJ), an alliance of organisations concerned with health, safety and social services issues in and around Gugulethu, reports GroundUp.
MCSJ said the Gugulethu Community Health Centre – built in 1965 to cater for 27 000 people – is not longer able to meet the needs of the number of residents in the area today.
Complaints include delays in attending to patients, untidiness, patients being turned away without medication, no parking space, crumbling infrastructure, and poor behaviour from staff. The clinic was not “ disability-friendly”, particularly for people in wheelchairs, added the marchers.
MCSJ member Mandla Majola said the community wanted a new hospital to be built by 2026, that the existing trauma unit was also too small and at weekends, staff could not cope with gunshot and stabbing emergencies. “There are also bed shortages, resulting in some patients sleeping on the floor or on chairs,” he said.
A representative of Western Cape Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo accepted the memorandum on her behalf. She was given 14 days to respond.
GroundUp article – Protesters call for new hospital in Gugulethu (Creative Commons Licence)
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