Patients at the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital in the North West have criticised it for allegedly failing to provide adequate optometry services.
Some of the patients say the facility gave them the wrong prescription spectacles, which allegedly worsened their conditions. Others say they have been waiting for their spectacles for years.
One of the patients is a grade 12 learner, Gomolemo More, whose academic performance has been negatively affected by her vision problem. More says she struggles to read at school due to her poor vision. She has been waiting for her spectacles from the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital for years.
Im struggling at school because I have an eye problem and my performance is low. I dont write other class works and notes because I cant see from the chalkboard. Ill be borrowing books from my friends. Even during exams, theyll give me two to three hours then the time lapses without finishing. Sometimes my performance goes down because I didnt finish writing another exam. Im doing matric. My performance was bad last time and Im worried because I will be writing a preparatory exam now, More explains.
Her mother, Keabetswe More, says they have been going to the hospital since 2022, hoping to get spectacles for her daughter. But two years later, they still waiting.
