Poor Mindolo clinic services irk residents

RESIDENTS of Mindolo North in Kitwe are unhappy with the alleged poor services rendered to them at Mindolo clinic.
The residents complained of the early closure of the clinic and suggested that the health centre should operate on a 24-hour basis like most Government clinics.
Speaking on behalf of the residents, Sepiso Banda said there was also a shortage of midwives and as a result, many expectant mothers were shunning the clinic and opting to deliver their babies at home.
Ms Banda said the clinic did not have an ambulance readily available when patients were referred to Kitwe Central Hospital (KCH).
“The services at Mindolo Clinic are poor. The clinic closes at 16:00 hours when they know that they are supposed to attend to patients 24 hours and it’s sad that at times patients are told to provide their own transport to KCH,” she said.
The residents also complained that patients at times are turned away due to lack of drugs at the clinic.
But Kitwe District medical officer, Chikafuna Banda said a clinic was supposed to have a minimum of 10 midwives but that Mindolo Clinic currently only had two.
“The ministry of Health is currently undergoing a process of deploying more trained staff in medical institutions,” Dr Banda said.