Arrests after clinic burgled
Syndicate link unclear in series of break-ins
TWOsuspects were arrested yesterday after a series of breakins at the KwaDwesi clinic in Nelson Mandela Bay. Eastern Cape Health Department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said a team started work yesterday to fit 60 clinics in and around the metro with alarms.
Kupelo said an advanced rapid response team from the department was in Port Elizabeth to prepare for a visit by Health MEC Pumza Dyantyi and the department’s superintendent-general, Dr Thobile Mbengashe, at the end of the month.
He said following reports of medicine stock-outs at clinics in the Bay, the team investigated and found clinics to be fully stocked, and even overstocked in some instances.
The police were investigating a link between the thefts at the KwaDwesi clinic and drug-related crime in the area, he said.
The clinic was burgled several times last month, with thieves stealing a laptop computer, security gate, air-conditioner unit and outside lights.
Kupelo said they were not sure yet if the suspects were part of a syndicate of thieves that were targeting clinics in the Bay.
The team had inspected the clinics. “There are sufficient stocks of aspirin and paracetemol, TB medication and ARVs at all government clinics.
“Facility staff are complaining that stock is not being delivered on time by the contracted courier company. Sometimes staff accept stock meant for other facilities. Stock sometimes arrives in dribs and drabs at facilities.
“A service level agreement is in place between the Port Elizabeth depot and Sky Net. The stock should arrive within five days from the time the depot received the signed order.”
Kupelo said investigations by the district office resulted in a pharmacist being sent to the Linton Grange clinic where there was no basic pharmacy assistant. This would result in improved drug management.
Dyantyi and Mbengashe would be visiting the metro’s public hospitals to provide support, assess service delivery levels and take appropriate action.
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