The Praktiseer clinic in Tubatse outside the mining town of Burgersfort in Limpopo is in a dismal state. The 24-hour-facility only has one or two nurses working the day shift while a single nurse is on duty at night. Sometimes the clinic closes early, and on some days there is no nurse working the night shift. 

Many patients claim they sometimes go days without their chronic medication because the clinic has frequent stockouts.   

During a visit to the facility, patients waiting to be seen tell Health-e News that they often wait  for hours to be seen. Some had been waiting since four o’clock that morning. 

“I am tired of waiting in long queues where there is no proper shelter. It is painful during winter or rainy seasons when we queue outside in unbearable cold weather conditions,” says one of the patients, Tumi Nkosi (27).

Nkosi says he has not been able to get a consistent supply of antiretroviral (ARVs) drugs from the clinic. 

“I am here to collect my medication. I am worried about my health deteriorating if I go home without my medication again,” he says. 

Patients claim they sometimes go back home without being attended to. 

Since the beginning of the year the clinic has been experiencing water shortages and flushing toilets were temporarily out of order. This resulted in patients having to bring their own water to use and to drink their medication. Patients say they fear getting infections due to using the pit toilets that are also full and smell terrible. 

According to sources inside the clinic, staff and home based caregivers are working tirelessly trying to open files, take vitals and weight of patients as nurses continue to consult with patients. The clinic services residents from 189 villages of Fetakgomo Tubatse municipality.  

The Office of the Public Protector promised to investigate water shortage and poor service at the clinic. 

Staff overwhelmed

Nurses who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal and victimisation say the Department of Health is reluctant to appoint nurses, who will take responsibility and help reduce the backlog, or hire  administration clerks to do the administration of files, and appoint a clinic manager. 

They say many patients arrive at the clinic as early as 3am to line up because the night shift nurse only handles emergency patients. Other patients only get medical treatment after 8am. 

“We are worried about a high increasing number of defaulters who are on HIV treatment. They may end up infecting others or becoming resistant to treatment,” David Mokoena, a clinic committee member says.  

“It is only one or two nurses booked for day shift to assist hundreds of patients.In August last year a nurse collapsed, and this year another nurse collapsed as a result of burnout and fatigue,” claims Mokoena. “Patients that need emergency care, including heavily pregnant women about to give birth or those who are injured, ask their families to rush them to about 30 km away to Dilokong hospital.” 

Provincial health spokesperson Neil Shikwambane didn’t comment or respond to questions sent to him. – Health-e News