On a recent follow-up visit to Phekolong OurHealth found a new facility, Gateway clinic, that was set up on the premises to assist the hospital’s busy casualty ward.
“The clinic is open from 16:00 to 20:00 from Mondays to Fridays and from 08:00 to 20:00 on Saturdays and Sundays,” said a security guard at Phekolong who prefers to remain anonymous. In his opinion service delivery has improved at the casualty ward since the new clinic opened and he has witnessed many people being helped at the Gateway clinic.
The new clinic is staffed by nurses from the surrounding clinics who work in shifts when they finish at their respective clinics. “This is my first time working until 20:00 and I am tired, but the experience is wonderful,” said Katleho Tona, a nurse mainly based at the Mphohadi clinic.
“Sometimes you find people waiting in long lines at the casualty ward for minor injuries and other minor conditions, those are the people we assist.” According to sister Tona, in the past patients would occupy beds in the casualty ward unnecessarily. Their injuries could often treat and they could go home immediately.
“I am glad my experience is different from the stories I’ve heard about the service delivery at Phekolong, in less than 40 minutes of my arrival I am done with everything and ready to go home,” said Retshepile Mosia, a patient at Gateway clinic hospital.
Selloane Molakeng is the OurHealth Citizen Journalist reporting from the Thabo Mofutsanyana health district in the Free State.
