The building which houses the weekly Mobile Clinic in Colchester is not fit for human use and should either be repaired immediately or condemned. There is no electricity and there is no water to flush toilets or wash hands, which means that Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) norms cannot be met.

Ceilings have collapsed and most windows are broken. Medication lies openly on tables as there is no secure room in which to store them. All the doors have holes in them and there is no privacy at all. Patients, including small babies, that need to remove their clothing for examination, are exposed to the elements as there is no glass in the windows. This is a disgrace!

I shall write to the MEC for Health, Nomakosazana Meth, to urgently press her to ensure that this building is made compliant with Health norms and standards. Alternatively, a more suitable venue for the clinic should be identified in Colchester – one which has electricity, water and privacy.

If nothing is immediately done to provide dignity to the affected state patients, I will write to the Human Rights Commission to request their intervention, because it is clear that patients’ rights are being violated.

To make matters worse, state patients in Colchester that require Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are forced to wait for several days for an ambulance, but in most instances, the ambulances do not arrive at all. It is simply unacceptable that state patients are treated with such disdain!

In the DA – led Western Cape, all clinics comply with Occupational Health and Safety norms, even if the clinics are not utilised daily. The dignity of patients is at all times prioritised, and their health is never placed at risk by collapsing infrastructure.

On the 29th of May, we have the opportunity to rescue our citizens from the uncaring ANC and elect a party that respects the rights and dignity of patients. That party is the Democratic Alliance.