The DA in Limpopo is deeply concerned by reports that another patient who was made to wait outside Madimbo Clinic yesterday for medical attention has passed away.
This is the same Clinic that was supposed to operate 24 hours a day, but left a mother in labour outside a locked gate, only for her to have to give birth outside in the early hours of yesterday.
In the latest incident, a female patient arrived at Madimbo Clinic yesterday morning after being referred there from Tshiungani Clinic. She too was kept outside waiting for medical attention at the same time as the mother who went into labour.
The patient, who had arrived there at 05:30, was apparently then told by the staff that they would only attend to her at 07:00 when they open.
When the clinic eventually opened, the patient was examined and it was determined that her condition was very serious. The Emergency Medical Services were called and after a lengthy wait, she was taken to Donald Fraser Hospital that is about 90 kilometres away, where she later passed away.
The DA is very concerned that a seriously ill patient was made to wait outside the clinic for over an hour and a half. This is despite the Limpopo Department of Health indicating that the clinic uses a call system and the patient should have been attended to as soon as she arrived at the clinic.
We call on MEC for Health, Phophi Ramathuba, and the Limpopo Health Department to also investigate this matter, in order to determine if the neglect and long waiting period played a role in the young woman’s death.
The DA remains committed to ensuring that there is access to good quality healthcare in rural areas.