Lisa Isaacs
FRUSTRATED Nyanga, Gugulethu, Philippi and Crossroads residents protested at the Fezeka Health District office to demand better health services yesterday.
The march, organised by the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), was attended by about 200 people.
“We want the integration of HIV and tuberculosis (TB) treatment in hospitals. There is only one dentist who sees 30 people a day. We want more dentists,” TAC co-organiser Lumkile Sizila said.
He complained of a shortage of staff at the area’s health facility. “The people are frustrated because we keep raising this issue.”
It was in September that as many as 50 pensioners, on average, along with children as young as three, had to queue from as early as 2am to see the sole state dentist at the Gugulethu Clinic.
The clinic closed its doors at 4pm and is the only one serving the Crossroads, Nyanga, Philippi and Manenberg areas.
During yesterday’s protest, a memorandum of demands was handed to Thembisa Nojaholo, a staff member at the Fezeka Health District office.
Demands included dentists in Nyanga East, Philippi and Crossroads; to see an end to the disappearance of folders at health centres such as Inzame Zabantu community health clinic in Philippi; the speedy provision of service at the clinic; more nurses and doctors; and to be treated with respect by health professionals.
Another TAC organiser, Ncedisa Ngcobondwana, said residents were promised more dentists at the Gugulethu clinic by last month, but the clinic’s management had said there were no funds for more staff.
“The community is very angry, there are no staff. People are tired of going to clinics, and we sit there the whole day getting no help. This is not acceptable” she said.
Health MEC Theuns Botha said: “My door has always been open to meet with community representatives about concerns. I invite the concerned citizens to please contact my office so we can meet and solve these problems”.
Provincial Health Department spokeswoman Marika Champion said there was a dentist in Gugulethu and one at Crossroads Community Day Centre.
“For Klipfontein sub-district we have five dentists, excluding the dental students. Gugulethu Community Health Centre is now moving towards providing a five-day-per-week dental service,” she said.
Champion said the provincial department has two doctors at the Nyanga facility.
The Crossroads and Inzame Zabantu facilities each has three doctors, while the Gugulethu Community health centre has seven.
“The newly commissioned mobile unit will also assist with oral and dental services from 2015,” Champion said.