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NHLANGANO – Some chiefs raised concerns about the dragging prayer sessions in rural clinics, while patients waited to be attended to.

This was according to sentiments shared by some of the chiefs during the meeting with the Ministry of Health and Médecins Sans Frontières/ Doctors Without Borders (MSF) yesterday.

During the discussions, the chiefs stated that people from their communities had been complaining about the prayers which they said took about an hour and a half.

This, they said, was troubling them as the sole reason they go to the health facilities was to receive medical attention because they were not feeling well.

They shared that they preferred the prayer meeting to last for at most 30 minutes as the priority should be dispensing treatment to patients.

“We are not against it, but you find that some are worse off and the long praying session might cost them their lives,” said one of the chiefs.

Another chief wanted to know the official time for clinics to close for the day as some closed at 2pm, while others locked gates at 3pm. Responding to those questions, Public Regional Matron Mfanawenkhosi Maseko said to the best of their knowledge, the clinics in the rural areas had committees that were made up of members coming from each chiefdom receiving services from the clinic.

He said at least one committee member was supposed to be at the hospital each day to guard against such incidents as they would then call the nurse to attend to patients who were seriously sick and skip prayer if they needed emergency attention.

On the issue of time, he said clinics operated from 8am to 5pm across the country, adding that part of the reason the nurses were housed close to the facility was so that they could be reached even after hours if there was an emergency as they are essential service providers.

“We would strongly encourage that you report such cases to us so we can take them up,” he said.