EFF wants 24-hr clinic access

IF THE EFF has its way, clinics should be opened for 24 hours a day and seven days a week throughout the country.

The party has now proposed in Parliament that a new law be enacted to ensure that clinics are open at all times.

This emerged after the national legislature published a notice inviting members of the public to make written comments on a draft bill proposed by EFF MP Susan Thembekwayo to amend the National Health Act.

“The draft bill will provide for all clinics to operate and provide healthcare services 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” reads the notice.

The proposed legislation comes against the backdrop of the pending introduction of the National Health Insurance Bill, which is being driven by the Health Department.

This comes as Parliament is already racing against time to process and finalise several prioritised bills before the 2019 general elections.

Yesterday, Thembekwayo would not be drawn into commenting on her proposed bill when she was contacted.

She said she needed to first go through her documents and also speak to her party on the matter.

However, an explanatory summary of the bill says healthcare challenges are not limited to specific time periods and could affect a person at any time of day or night.

“Millions of South Africans are denied their right to have access to healthcare services, as enshrined in the Bill of Rights, because an insufficient number of healthcare facilities are open after hours, thus denying these South Africans access to healthcare facilities should they fall sick or become injured after hours.”

It also said many people lived far from hospitals and were unable to access healthcare establishments at any time.

“Clinics are, in most instances, the most effective health establishment to access,” reads the bill.

Interested parties and institutions can submit written submissions until June 25.

Neither the Health Department nor Parliament’s portfolio committee was aware of the draft bill.