Sick people in Tshwane left in the cold

Note to editors: The following remarks were made by DA Tshwane Mayoral Candidate, Solly Msimanga, at an oversight visit to Dube Clinic in Winterveldt today. Msimanga was joined by the Western Cape Minister of Health, Professor Nomafrench Mbombo MPL, and constituency head, Marius Redelinghuys MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Police.

Today I stand alongside the residents of Winterveldt, who are forced to wait in long lines to receive basic health care services from the Dube Clinic. I have heard your stories about dysfunctional clinics in Tshwane, and heard your calls for change.

Section 27 of the Constitution guarantees the right to access to health care services. But under the ANC in the City of Tshwane, this right is not being given life.

Under the ANC government in Tshwane, clinics have fallen into disrepair and are under-stocked, under-staffed and under-equipped. Residents are forced to travel long distances and queue for hours on end to receive basic health care.

The most recent General Household Survey shows that almost half a million people in Tshwane have to travel between 30 minutes and 89 minutes to reach the nearest health facility.

While according to the most recent Stock Outs National Survey, almost 40% of health care facilities in Tshwane do not have the stock they need to ensure the people have the medication they need.

Some of these facilities experience stock outs of vital medication such as ARVs and TB medication for more than a month. This is a disgrace.

For too long the people of Tshwane have suffered at the hands of an uncaring ANC government that has allowed corruption to thrive, service delivery to grind to a halt and unemployment to increase. The ANC government have neglected the vulnerable in our society, including those people who rely on clinics for basic health care services.

For too many residents in our Capital City life is a daily struggle. We cannot accept this.

Yesterday we launched the DA’s Manifesto for Tshwane, our plan to bring change to the Capital that will move it forward again.

As part of our commitment to providing better services, we will ensure that the residents of this City have access to world-class health care services.

The DA in Tshwane is committed to increasing the number of mobile clinics so that people who usually have to travel far while sick to get to clinics no longer have to.

And we will extend the service hours of health facilities to make sure that all people who need care, receive it.

Health care is a basic right; we must ensure that residents receive the treatment they deserve.

On August 3 you have an opportunity to vote out the ANC and elect a DA government that will bring change to Tshwane.

Victory for the DA in Tshwane is in reach, but requires the support of every voter who wants to bring change to this City.

We can make Tshwane great again and we can do it together by voting for the change that the Capital needs.

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