Pray the News
Residents decry short clinic hours
The Herald - 3 November 2025
Abstract" Foreign nationals occupying patient slots, locals being turned away, and staff reportedly locking themselves in offices for hours are among the frustrations for residents. They were voicing their concerns in a crowded Walmet Township Multipurpose Centre on Friday during public engagement led by Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature speaker Helen Sauls-August. The engagement was also attended by acting health district manager Tandisizwe Ndamase, Bay council speaker Eugene Johnson and ward 4 coucillor Nozuko Tys. The bigger concerns raised included the eight-hour operating hours of the clinic at the township, and the patients were being turned away by staff who allegedly went on breaks for hours at a time. One resident said that for several months now she had not been able to get a referral far an oncologist because of staffing issues.
Responding to complaints, Ndamase said the booking system was introduced because staff shortages, but the department had been rolling out programmes such as mobile clinics. We recommend that people with chronic conditions register with our system so that you can be assisted with treatment at a pickup point and not have to wait in line at a clinic, Ndlamase said. If you are stable, you can be enrolled with that programme so you can collect your medication at your own time at our drop-off point. But even with the system, if you are disabled, elderly or a pregnant woman, you will always be prioritised. He said there were also plans to open a new district hospital in New Brighton to alleviate pressure from hospitals like Dora Nginza. In the whole Metro, only the Uitenhage hospital is a district hospital. Dora and Livingstone hospitals are regional and tertiary services, respectively.
Ndlambase encouraged people to use complaint boxes about staff professionalism. Sauls-August said it was concerning that the same issue as which were highlighted in May were ongoing."
More Background
The issues at the Walmer Township clinic highlight broader systemic challenges faced by community clinics in the Eastern Cape in 2025, as documented in various reports and statements. These challenges include funding cuts, staff shortages, long waiting times, and service denials. The situation has been exacerbated by disruptions in support from PEPFAR (the U.S.-funded HIV/AIDS program) earlier in the year. Residents in rural areas have protested against the deteriorating infrastructure, calling for upgrades to facilities in poor condition.
Long waiting times are among the many issues identified in the fifth edition of the Ritshidze State of Health report for the Eastern Cape. Between April and June 2025, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), in collaboration with Ritshidze, conducted 4,215 surveys with public healthcare users and spoke to facility staff to evaluate 40 healthcare facilities across two districts in the Eastern Cape. The collected data highlights the challenges arising in our clinics following the earlier disruptions in PEPFAR support.
Download the report here
Prayer Guideline:
We recognize the challenges of staffing shortages, unprofessional behavior, and extended breaks that can frustrate patients, as highlighted in recent reports. Thank God for dedicated healthcare workers currently serving. Pray for an influx of committed staff to fill existing shortages. We pray for the transformation of hearts among clinic personnel, that they may seek divine provision for their needs and serve with compassion and diligence. May they see each patient as if serving the Lord, thereby eliminating issues such as locking offices and displaying rude behavior.
"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus," Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
Compiled by GAP Ministries
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