The Democratic Alliance (DA) has been made aware of a looming crisis at Durban’s Clairwood Hospital, amid claims of fear and panic, as elderly citizens are made to wait in over-crowded prefab structures for Covid-19 vaccinations.
The shock claims form part of a complaint received by the DA. According to the complainant, up to 50 elderly people are having to wait almost an hour, in a room approximately 10 x 5sqm that has no proper ventilation – except air-conditioning – making it a possible death trap.
The complainant has also stated that it appears that health officials have no clue what is going on. This as elderly citizens are then told that they need to be screened at the other end of the hospital – about 200 metres away from the prefabs – where they must queue again before being vaccinated. It is not possible to drive to this area due to congestion within the hospital parking area.
The DA is deeply concerned by these allegations. By placing elderly people in a situation where they have no chance of social distancing, this hospital and KZN’s Department of Health (DoH) are increasing their chances of contracting the virus. Then there is the suitability of the hospital as a vaccination site given the congestion that is allegedly being experienced.
Regrettably, in this case, the complainant was forced to take his elderly mother home before she was vaccinated after she became weak and exhausted by the ordeal. The same happened to a 90-year-old individual who also left without a vaccination after becoming extremely fatigued due to five hours of queueing. This despite having an appointment.
The rollout of vaccination sites across KZN is presenting a very mixed picture. There are good reports coming out of various rural districts with the elderly experiencing short queues, friendly health staff and all protocols being followed. However, there have been numerous reports of long queues of the elderly at various vaccination sites across the eThekwini Metro.
This ANC-run government claims to care about the wellbeing of KZN’s citizens. Yet these claims indicate the complete opposite.
The DA expects MEC Simelane-Zulu and her Department to fully investigate what is allegedly taking place at Clairwood Hospital. We also expect a comprehensive report from the Department regarding the vaccination rollout within the Metro and an update on the private sector involvement, where there are numerous sites in Durban that can be majorly beneficial to the Department and the public when they do in fact open.
The DA remains committed to ensuring that KZN’s people have access to a quality health system.
