McCord Hospital in Durban has begun transferring patients to government clinics because the hospital’s Sinikithemba ARV clinic faces imminent closure.
Children as young as five and adults are affected.
On Tuesday the hospital’s spokeswoman Sheena Lott said the hospital received funding from various partners, the largest being the provincial Department of Health and the US government.
“As the KwaZulu-Natal department took on the responsibility of supporting patients at a community clinic level funding to non-Department of Health institutions decreased, as intended,” she said.
“McCord is one such institution and is well prepared for the transition period. The US will continue to support the people of SA but with a focus on helping SA strengthen technical capacity and enhance its health system,” she said.
About 4 000 adult patients were transferring to Department of Health and municipal clinics, she said.
Sinikithemba clinic has been offering counselling and support, ARVs, laboratory tests, monitoring of drug side affects, support to other family members, and clinical support and drugs for co-infections or chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes.
However, Lott acknowledged that many patients would prefer to continue their treatment at McCord.
Dave Brosihan said the transition would be a setback for his domestic worker, whose name has been withheld. She has been going to the clinic for two years and said she did not know what to expect at another clinic.
Provincial Health Department spokesman Chris Maxon offered reassurance however: “We welcome the new patients at our clinics and will ensure that they receive treatment just like they did at McCord.” - The Mercury