LIMPOPO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONDEMNS THE CLOSURE OF THE CLINIC BY PROTESTERS AT MARIVENI VILLAGE
The Limpopo Department of Health condemns the decision by community leaders leading the protest at Mariveni Village in Greater Tzaneen for their decision to close the local clinic as part of their protest against disruptions of water supply.
Several attempts by health officials to have the clinic operate during protests in order to ensure among others continuity of care were rejected by the community leadership structures who insisted that the clinic must be closed.
The department does not in any way dispute the rights of community members to protest. However, it believes that community members can still do so while allow the local clinic to continue dischaging its duties of providing primary health care needs to the community. The insistence by the community leadership to close the clinic as a way of strengthening their protest is tantamount to gambling with other people’s lives who might need to go far to receive healthcare. This can result in complications and even deaths of patients. The department believes that health care facilities belong to conmunities and it it is them who wants them closed, it can’t forcefully open them as it also need to think about the safety of employees. However, the department requests that community leaders rethink their stance on the issue since it is not even known as to how long the protest will last and it might have dire consequences.
