Gauteng tops number of ideal clinics
Medicine in stock, equipment works
A fully stocked pharmacy and multicoloured footprints painted on the floor to help patients find their way around a facility are two elements that contribute towards making the Bertha Gxowa Clinic an ideal clinic.
The facility in Germiston on the East Rand has achieved ideal clinic status in preparation for National Health Insurance that is expected to be fully operational by 2025.
According to the latest statistics from the national Health Department, Gauteng exceeded its target of 240 by achieving 281 ideal clinics.
This is followed by KwaZucause lu-Natal at 55% and Northern Cape which achieved 46%.
The clinic’s manager Virginia Shongwe yesterday said services had improved since they started implementing the programme.
The clinic caters for a population of 35 385 people with about 3 500 patients visiting the facility every month.
Shongwe said achieving ideal status took a lot of work with staff required to read and understand the manual.
“It is very helpful because people do not have to wait in long queues. This also means that we don’t run out of medications and other supplies.”
Equipment was maintained regularly and coloured footprints lead patients to consultation rooms. Red footprints are for emergencies while green leads into the mother-and-child section.
Thandeka Maseko, 23, who was there for an antenatal checkup, said most people preferred the clinic because the service was better.
“The appointment system works well. I like the fact that they don’t mix patients because it makes the system faster, but sometimes we have to wait longer because there are too many people visiting the clinic.”
A pensioner, who was there to get her diabetes treatment, said she has never experienced shortage of medications at the clinic.
The 68-year-old, however, said she preferred to be admitted at a hospital as her condition worsened from time to time. She said the booking system was not effective be- she still has to wait a long time before being attended to. “I have been sitting here for two hours already.”
Chief director for primary healthcare in the province, Mesie Lerutla, said the programme was successful because they focused on making sure all role players, including medical staff, understand what is expected of them.