ELDERLY residents of Reeston in East London have to walk long distances and place themselves at risk of being attacked and robbed now that mobile clinic services to their area were stopped.
Buffalo City Metro stopped the department of health from using its mobile clinic vehicles in January after the department failed to pay the metro operational costs for using the vehicles.
Reeston healthcare worker Lusanda Matambo said she had been told by nurses operating the vehicles that they could not go anywhere because there was no fuel .
“This happened in January already and we had hope that it is something that will be fixed soon but nothing has happened,” said Matambo.
Four mobile clinics were operating in the Reeston area every week and many residents – mostly women and pensioners – depended on the service .
Eunice Malangeni , 83, said she had to walk 10km to Dube clinic in Scenery Park now.
“We feel that these people should think about us before making decisions,” she said.
“Health matters should be a priority.”
Nomsa Martin, 71, said criminals have made their lives “a living hell” since they were forced to walk to access health services.
“We have been robbed many times. This is not good for us, we are too old to be walking long distances like this. We need these mobile units to be returned or they must build us a clinic,” said Martin.
BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi said covering the operational costs of the vehicles was supposed to be a provincial department of health responsibility.
“The function was no longer with us but the health department,” said Ngesi, who declined to reveal how much was owed to the metro.
Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo acknowledged the problem and said “paperwork” was at advanced stage to sort the matter out.
“We are talking about four vehicles and the problem is the transfer of papers between us and the municipality,” said Kupelo.
Matambo said some of her patients suffered from TB and it was becoming difficult for them to stick to their recommended routines for treatment. —
Long walk to healthcare in EL
Buffalo City Metro stopped the department of health from using its mobile clinic vehicles in January after the department failed to pay the metro operational costs for using the vehicles.
Reeston healthcare worker Lusanda Matambo said she had been told by nurses operating the vehicles that they could not go anywhere because there was no fuel .
“This happened in January already and we had hope that it is something that will be fixed soon but nothing has happened,” said Matambo.
Four mobile clinics were operating in the Reeston area every week and many residents – mostly women and pensioners – depended on the service .
Eunice Malangeni , 83, said she had to walk 10km to Dube clinic in Scenery Park now.
“We feel that these people should think about us before making decisions,” she said.
“Health matters should be a priority.”
Nomsa Martin, 71, said criminals have made their lives “a living hell” since they were forced to walk to access health services.
“We have been robbed many times. This is not good for us, we are too old to be walking long distances like this. We need these mobile units to be returned or they must build us a clinic,” said Martin.
BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi said covering the operational costs of the vehicles was supposed to be a provincial department of health responsibility.
“The function was no longer with us but the health department,” said Ngesi, who declined to reveal how much was owed to the metro.
Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo acknowledged the problem and said “paperwork” was at advanced stage to sort the matter out.
“We are talking about four vehicles and the problem is the transfer of papers between us and the municipality,” said Kupelo.
Matambo said some of her patients suffered from TB and it was becoming difficult for them to stick to their recommended routines for treatment. —
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