A TALE OF TWO CLINICS
THE BEST SUTHENTIRA GOVENDER
THE 50-year-old Shallcross municipal clinic may be dilapidated, overcrowded and understaffed, but the facility — near Chatsworth in Durban — has emerged as the best clinic in the country.
That’s according to a recent Office of Health Standards Compliance study.
With its two professional nurses and one immuniser who treat 190 patients a day, it has earned the title after an OHSC inspection found it to be 81% compliant with its barometer of basic standards.
The inspectors scored it 100% for availability of medicines; 95% for waiting time; 90% for “positive and caring attitude”; 70% for cleanliness; 90% for infection control; and nearly 80% for patient safety and security.
But when the Sunday Times visited the clinic this week, patients who spoke on condition of anonymity complained of queueing for hours, delays in the provision of medicine, overworked staff and untidiness.
“I’m shocked to hear this clinic is regarded as excellent,” said one. “There are only two nurses; we have to wait a long time for treatment. We are old, tired and sick. I sometimes don’t get all of my chronic medication.”
Another said the facility was “untidy and old but the staff try their best to help us”.
Staff, too, seemed surprised by the OHSC’s findings. “We are under stress because of the number of patients we have to deal with,” said a staff member, who declined to be named.
THE WORST NATHI OLIFANT
EVERY month Nozuko Dushu of Zingosini has to make a 16km trek to fetch her blood pressure medication at Cwele clinic in Libode in rural Eastern Cape.
The clinic has been rated the worst in South Africa by the Office of Health and Standards Compliance. But “the other clinic, Old Bunting, is very far”, said Dushu, 51.
Cwele clinic is in a wattle forest on land that belongs to a Catholic mission 60km east of Mthatha; it serves 13 villages.
It has neither running water nor electricity, and there are no toilets. A pit latrine stands abandoned because of previous encounters with snakes.
It scored terribly in each of the categories: waiting times (5%), attitudes (18%), infection prevention (20%), patient safety (10%), cleanliness (20%), and availability of medicines and supplies (20%).
On a visit this week the facility — which scored a total of 19 out of 100 — was quiet, clean and hugely under-resourced.
The clinic’s operations manager was away on the day of the visit. Three other staff were present — a nurse who had just returned from four years’ study leave, an assistant nurse and a volunteer pharmacy assistant.
Medicines and equipment were stored neatly in boxes but staff morale was low. “The only electricity we have is a connection from the church facilities. We need toilets and water too,” said the pharmacy assistant, who identified herself only as Sisonke.
Cwele clinic’s woes have been compounded by squabbling between local leaders that has held up the building of a new clinic. A half-finished structure lies abandoned nearby.
Nylon Fodo, the chairman of the Cwele clinic committee, said it had taken many years of pleading to get the government to build a new clinic.
Fodo said the condition of the clinic had created several problems as no nurse wanted to work there. “Previously nurses and patients have been raped and robbed when trying to access the clinic,” he said.
As the dispute over the new clinic continues, poor patients such as Dushu will continue to traverse this treacherous route to maintain their health.