{"id":45622,"date":"2024-01-31T16:40:26","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T14:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/mthathaexpress\/community-members-struggle-to-access-healthcare-facilities-due-to-protest-20240131\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T08:45:20","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T06:45:20","slug":"community-members-struggle-to-access-healthcare-facilities-due-to-protest-20240131","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/mthathaexpress\/community-members-struggle-to-access-healthcare-facilities-due-to-protest-20240131\/","title":{"rendered":"Community members struggle to access healthcare facilities due to protest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Six healthcare facilities are operating with skeleton staff as some of<br>\nhealthcare workers could not get to work due to a community protest that has<br>\nblocked roads in Mbizana as from yesterday, till today, January 31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the spokesperson for the MEC, Mkhululi Ndamase, community<br>\nmembers in need of medical attention and ambulances also cannot get to the six<br>\nfacilities because of the blocked roads in the Mbhongweni\/Meje area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOnly nurses who live in the nurses\u2019 home and nearby the facilities were<br>\nable to report for duty. The blockading of roads has compromised the quality of<br>\nservices and put lives at risk. The motive for the protest is unknown,\u201d said<br>\nNdamase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eastern Cape Department of Health MEC,<br>\nNomakhosazana Meth has condemned the closure of roads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe acknowledge that people have the right to protest but when they do,<br>\nthey must not infringe on other people\u2019s rights, because of the protest an<br>\nambulance could not manage to go to Meje Community Health Centre to transport<br>\nto the next level of care, a boy (12) that is vomiting blood and whose body is<br>\nswollen,\u201d said Meth. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meth said that an EMS chopper was being arranged to pick up the victim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The affected facilities are Meje Community Health Centre, Daliwonga<br>\nClinic, Mpetsheni Clinic, Mandengane Clinic, Khanyayo Clinic and Baleni<br>\nClinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-issued-by-doh\">ISSUED BY DoH<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Six healthcare facilities are operating with skeleton staff as some of healthcare workers could not get to work due to a community protest that has blocked roads in Mbizana as 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