The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on the MEC of Health to urgently finalise the long outstanding provincialisation of Sol Plaatje municipal clinics, of which co-management between provincial and local government is affecting quality of care.
The takeover of the clinics by the department has been in limbo for approximately fifteen years, largely due to funding issues and an unresolved labour matter regarding the transfer of staff from the municipality to the provincial department. Seventeen personnel members working in the clinics are on Sol Plaatje’s payroll, while 83 are appointed by the health department.
Despite repeated promises to finalise the matter, the department is still dragging its feet.
Approximately 16 000 patients visit the six Kimberley clinics, which remain the property of the municipality, every month. They have become too small, and patients must arrive by 6am to be helped on the same day. Due to space issues, patients often have to wait outside in the sun and rain.
Security, which is outsourced by the department of health, is inadequate and there have been incidents of mentally unwell patients attacking staff and damaging clinic property, out of frustration for long waiting times.
Chronic medication also often runs short. The removal and storage of redundant stock is a further challenge for which the municipality is considering renting containers, to free up more space in facilities.
The situation adds a significant financial burden to the cash-strapped Sol Plaatje municipality. Monthly costs for co-rendering of health services sets the municipality back millions of rands each year. This diverts funding away from critical priorities like provision of water and sanitation.
The complete lack of ownership of local health services discourages stakeholders from investing in infrastructure and makes it easy for the health department to shirk responsibility when it fails to supply medicine.
DA provincial Health spokesperson, Isak Fritz, has written to the MEC, asking for an update on the provincialisation process and that it be urgently concluded. Until such time, the DA has also requested the health department to ensure that it mitigates the health inefficiencies being experienced by patients in Sol Plaatje.
It is the responsibility of the department to render quality health care at all government health facilities.