Qumrha clinic patients wait hours as Eastern Cape health pressure mounts
Staff shortages and failing infrastructure at the clinic have left elderly and chronically ill patients with few alternatives, eNCA reports from the scene.
Patients at a clinic in Qumrha in the Eastern Cape say they are waiting hours for medical help, with the facility struggling against staff shortages and poor infrastructure.
The concern is sharpest for elderly patients and those living with chronic illnesses, who tell the broadcaster they have no other option but this clinic.
Reporting from the area, eNCA’s Ronald Masinda described a clinic that has been in difficulty for several years, with long queues and a lack of water among the problems raised by residents of the surrounding farming community.
Patients waiting outside on Tuesday said the pace appeared to have picked up, and some suggested the presence of media crews may have played a part. They told the reporter they want more outlets to keep exposing conditions at the facility.
According to eNCA, the nearby hospital has also faced its own challenges. On a previous visit, patients were caught off guard by a fee charged at the hospital, which is among the reasons people say they choose the clinic instead.
The Eastern Cape health department is under pressure over healthcare failures in the province, and the South African Human Rights Commission has now stepped into the matter, according to the broadcast.
Source: eNCA (YouTube), Patients in Qumrha clinic left waiting for hours
