Hon Speaker, the Lusikisiki Village Clinic in the Eastern Cape was once housed in a safe and secure building in the town of Lusikisiki, responsible for looking after the health needs of about 8 000 people each month.
However, the Eastern Cape health department has not paid rent for that particular building for a long time, and this resulted in the clinic being moved out of the building. Patients are now forced to visit a clinic that consists of tents, where no water or electricity is available and toilets used are difficult to access. There is no dignity or privacy given to patients because they have to disclose their illness in the presence of others as they all wait in the tent. Some patients are so afraid of disclosing their problems that they would rather return home without treatment.
It is shocking to know that the health department could quickly solve this issue, yet the leadership has chosen to ignore the situation. While the national Department of Health constantly shows improvements in many areas, the lack of competent leadership at provincial level is condemning our people to death, exposing them to infections, and may result in an even bigger health crisis in the Eastern Cape. The government ... Thank you. [Time expired.]