The health department has apologised to the public for the disruption to some health services in the Ndlambe municipal area. Since Wednesday, staff have...

The health department has apologised to the public for the disruption to some health services in the Ndlambe municipal area. Since Wednesday, staff have been locked out and patients turned away from five clinics in Port Alfred and Bathurst in protest at the department’s failure to absorb all community health workers (CHWs) and lay counsellors. In a statement, the department said it had issued an ultimatum instructing employees to return to work. This week, patients arriving at Port Alfred’s four clinics, as well as the Bathurst Clinic in Nolukhanyo, were turned away and professional staff were locked out. Patients needing chronic medication were advised to go to the outpatients department at Port Alfred Hospital, where they...

The health department has apologised to the public for the disruption to some health services in the Ndlambe municipal area. Since Wednesday, staff have been locked out and patients turned away from five clinics in Port Alfred and Bathurst in protest at the department’s failure to absorb all community health workers (CHWs) and lay counsellors. In a statement, the department said it had issued an ultimatum instructing employees to return to work. This week, patients arriving at Port Alfred’s four clinics, as well as the Bathurst Clinic in Nolukhanyo, were turned away and professional staff were locked out. Patients needing chronic medication were advised to go to the outpatients department at Port Alfred Hospital, where they...