REFILWE MEKOA
The national chairperson of the Treatment Action Campaign said some Bloemfontein residents are still being neglected as far as their fundamental health rights are concerned.
Anele Yawa was referring to his visit to Khayelisha, Dinaweng and Grassland locations in Mangaung during a national people’s health manifesto launched yesterday.
“There are about fifty thousand people in those areas who don’t have access to a small thing like a condom. Out of ten people there may be one person who does. The only clinic they have is a mobile clinic which visits them twice a month and which focuses only on children. What about the rest of the people? If you could go there, you will be shocked,” he said.
Yawa said more than thousands of members participated in the national march from Pelonomi Hospital in Mangaung where a memorandum was handed over to Premier Ace Magashule at the Lebohang building’s offices in Bloemfontein. They demand Magashule to take concrete steps in bringing an end to severe health system problems.
“Health issues cannot be separated from political issues. We are a political movement and don’t have any interest in contesting for the general elections. However, we want to rectify and address all the political issues that are affecting service delivery, for example access to receiving ARVs and improvement of health systems. They all affect our people,” Yawa said.
