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The DA in Limpopo has written to the Limpopo Health MEC, Phophi Ramathuba, to urgently intervene and address the challenges at Sterkwater Clinic in Ga-Pila, Mokopane.

The oversight inspection with DA Councillor, Corinus DuToit, revealed a shocking state of neglect and a large number of challenges that the facility now faces as a result. (View photos here, here, here, here and here)

Our Inspection revealed that:

There is a severe staff shortage at the clinic that caters to about 60 patients a day. The clinic is short of at least two professional nurses, two ward attendants, a staff nurse, a nursing assistant, a clerk, a data capturer, a cleaner and a groundsman.

There is a severe shortage of water at the clinic and this has affected services and hygiene standards. Patients and staff use a toilet outside and use buckets to fetch water from a tank in order to flush.

There is no alternative power source and the clinic can go up to 4 hours at a time without electricity.

There is a shortage of antiretroviral therapy (ART) medication at the clinic

There is a shortage of equipment – no incubator for newborn babies, no functional autoclave machine to sterilise medical equipment. There are insufficient batteries for the blood pressure monitor, hb machine and glucose machine.

The geyser, air conditioners, printer for lab results and the laundry machine are all dysfunctional.

Nurse Accommodation is dilapidated and they do not have functional toilets.

The clinic is running low on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The unkempt clinic grounds pose a risk to the patients and staff, there is very long grass at the premises and snakes are a presence at the clinic.

This facility has faced some of these challenges for a long period of time. The DA oversight visit was a result of numerous complaints from the community regarding severe staff shortages, poor service to patients, and shortages of medication.

Ramathuba and her department must urgently address the serious challenges facing Sterkwater Clinic.

The DA is committed to ensuring the right of every resident to access proper healthcare and improving the condition of public healthcare facilities in Limpopo.

Issued by Risham Maharaj MPL - DA Limpopo Spokesperson for Health