Nearly two months after gang violence forced the closure of Rosedale Clinic on 17 July, over 30,000 residents remain without reliable access to healthcare as the Department of Health shows no signs of restoring services to the original location.
With reports of residents being turned away from alternative facilities and growing frustration over departmental delays, the community has now drafted a formal proposal calling for clinic services to be relocated to the currently unused SANTA Hospital in Gqeberha – a move the Department says it will not consider.
When the Department of Health spokesperson, Siyanda Manana, was approached for comment regarding the relocation of the clinic, he said that it is not feasible to move the clinic to the suggested SANTA Hospital.
He shared, “It is not advisable that we relocate the services of the Rosedale Clinic to SANTA Hospital. Doing so is like conceding that crime cannot be defeated, while denying communities their right to access healthcare.”
Manana added that Santa Hospital is currently operational, operating as a satellite of Jose Pearson; however, considerations could be made.
It is alleged that Park Centre Clinic, located in Cannon Street, has been turning away patients who do not live within the 5km radius of the clinic and telling them to go to alternative clinics closer to them.
When asked whether this is standard departmental policy, Manana said that turning away patients because they do not live within the radius of the clinic is unconstitutional and infringes on the right of South Africans to receive healthcare.
“No one should be denied access to healthcare. Doing so violates patients’ rights. Constitutionally, they should not be refusing healthcare for certain individuals. Anyone who is denied healthcare should go to the clinic supervisor and report the matter or call the Department of Health toll-free number, 0800 032 364,” he said.
As the closure of Rosedale Clinic, which serves over 30,000 residents, is due to gun violence in the area, the timeline for restoration to full operation remains unclear. Manana said that staff had requested intensified security at the clinic before they would return.
“The sooner security of staff and patients can be guaranteed, the sooner the services of the clinic will resume. We need to ensure that our staff feel safe to return.”
According to Manana, clinic staff require guaranteed safety before they will return.
“The staff only want to feel safe at work. They say they want a SAPS mobile/satellite unit stationed outside the clinic. Only then will they return,” he said.
Manana also shared that since the closure of the clinic, “The Department has met with South African Police Service (SAPS) and the community. We also offered alternative service points, namely Tamboville Multipurpose Centre and Park Centre Clinic, and beefed up security at the clinic.”
When asked for a specific timeline for when Rosedale community residents can expect their clinic to be fully operational again, Manana was unable to provide concrete dates.
“It is really difficult to pinpoint a specific time. As I said, safety is the main issue. The security of staff is important. We are constantly monitoring the situation,” he said, emphasising that the restoration of services remains contingent on security guarantees rather than any predetermined schedule.
