Mobile clinic reaches many
People living along East Coast right up to Kwelera are treated by this useful service that has run since 2009
A 4x4 mobile clinic, which sets up at Pine Creek and Farmarama and spots all along the East Coast to Kwelera, has been lauded for its excellent and efficient services.
The mini clinic-on-wheels has been providing health services weekly without fail since, as far back as 2009 when primary healthcare services were still rendered by the Amathole District Municipality before the provincialisation of services. It has attracted a large following from people hoping to be in and out of clinic doors in the blink of an eye.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the clinic at its Pine Creek stop this week, the clinic sister heading it said it was not intended to work all week, but due to the influx of local residents, she’s had to bring it to the people on additional rounds.
Just like you would find at an established clinic, the clinic-on-wheels has a patient bed, equipment and runs a series of primary healthcare services such as immunisations for children, treating minor ailments and providing contraceptives, as well as check-ups for illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and even TB and pneumonia treatment and HIV testing. Provincial department of health spokesperson Lwandile Sicwetsha said all areas along the East Coast up to Kwelera are serviced by the mobile clinic.
“Due to increased demand, the stops are now once a week in each area. Pinecreek [is] on Wednesdays, Farmarama on Fridays.
“The provision is historical when primary healthcare services were rendered by province, Buffalo City Metro and Amathole District Municipality, often with overlapping boundaries.”
He said , the mobile clinic continued to stop and service people who were long-time patients before it proceeds to its next stop. The clinic sees new patients each day as some people turn to it to avoid overcrowded clinics.
“Most clients serviced stay more than 5km from the nearest fixed clinic,” Sicwetsha said. He said the clinic was accessible to every person who did not have medical aid. “The majority of clients are people working in the surrounding businesses, residents and farmworkers in the vicinity of the stops.”