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Clinic is a 'ticking time bomb'

ON FILE: Patients records have become a headache for nurses at Nelspruit Community Health Centre because of a shortage of proper files. They now issue unlabelled pieces of paper to patients which could be seen on the right filing cabinet. Photos: Antonio Muchave
ON FILE: Patients records have become a headache for nurses at Nelspruit Community Health Centre because of a shortage of proper files. They now issue unlabelled pieces of paper to patients which could be seen on the right filing cabinet. Photos: Antonio Muchave

"Clearly there was no proper planning done when they opened this place"

BUILT as part of the 2010 legacy, the recently opened R72-million Nelspruit Community Health Clinic is so under-resourced that staff have to use ordinary paper to make patient files.

According to Mpumalanga MEC for health Clifford Mkasi's written response to the legislature in June this year, the clinic was finished after the 2010 Fifa World Cup but sat idle with equipment worth R1.7-million.

The clinic only became operational earlier this year following political pressure from the Democratic Alliance. It officially opened on August 6.

Mkasi further said 22 professional nurses would be appointed as well as six administrative clerks, one dental therapist, one radiographer and two doctors.

However, during a recent visit to the clinic, Sowetan found these be false promises.

Sowetan spoke to employees, including managers, who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation, who revealed:

  • The clinic currently operates with 15 professional nurses, one doctor and three administrative clerks who see about 170 patients a day. No dentists or radiographers are on site;
  •  The clinic finished its stock of 4,000 patient files months ago, and has since been using ordinary paper to record patients' details, which causes a filing nightmare for nurses and security guards who also help out. In some instances patients' information gets lost and waiting time for a file has increased to about six hours per patient;
  •  The dental and X-ray departments, including surgical theatre, have not worked due to equipment shortages;
  •  The clinic's only generator and oxygen cylinder do not work, putting patients' lives in danger during power cuts;
  •  The staff sends equipment and surgical instruments to Rob Ferreira Hospital for cleaning because they do not have their own sterilising facilities.

According to a worker, posts were advertised in 2010.

"Due to unknown delays, interviews for those posts were only done in March 2011 and appointments made in August this year. Most of those people had eventually got jobs somewhere else and only a few turned up," the worker said.

The Mpumalanga health department, which owes the Mbombela municipality about R64-million for various services at municipal clinics, had embarked on "provincialisation" and shutting down of Valencia, Nelsville and White River clinics, which would make Nelspruit clinic the main health facility after Rob Ferreira Hospital.

But this plan was abandoned because residents complained about the long distances they would have to travel to the clinic.

"Some nurses from these clinics refused to be transferred to the province and opted to work as administrators for the council, due to higher benefits there," an employee said.

"Clearly there was no proper planning done when they opened this place. We don't even have patient files. Our manager had to make copies on pieces of paper she found at another clinic.

"We have made requisitions for such things so many times, but nothing happens. We lose patient information all the time. We are sitting on a time bomb here."

Facility managers Elsie Nkambule and Nokuzola Makutu declined to comment.

Provincial health spokesman Dumisani Mlangeni could not reply yesterday despite receiving questions on Friday. "I can't comment now. I will do so tomorrow [Tuesday] as I'm waiting for reports," he said yesterday. - sifilel@sowetan.co.za

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