The Western Cape Health Department has failed to provide answers as to when service delivery will be improved at the Dr. Abdurahman Community Health Clinic in Athlone.

Radio 786 listeners have complained about overcrowding and long waiting times with some made to come back the next day to seek help.

Department’s spokesperson, Mark van der Heever indirectly admits that day hospitals are not functioning optimally.

He says day hospitals are under pressure as the population grows and as the burden of disease increases. He says they are also facing financial pressures. But claims that measures are in place to assist clients that come to these facilities.

Van der Heever believes staffing at the clinic is sufficient.

I won’t say 9the facility is) understaffed. Let’s put it this way. There are days at any given facility where there are staff on training, or on leave or ill. That’s an experience at any workplace. So, our facility is not understaffed but under pressure because they have a growing population,  and growing burden of disease. But attached to that, we also acknowledged that there are problems in terms of retrieving folders which adds to people’s waiting time. We are looking at ways on streamline the folder retrieval systems to cut down on waiting.

Anyone experiencing challenges at any of the province’s health care facilities should lodge a complaint. You can do so by emailing: [email protected] or smsing the word “help” followed by your name, the nature of your complaint, facility, and the name of the staff member to 31022.