Communities in Grahamstown are to have a say in the running of the city's clinics, with the establishment of a clinic committee. "Clinics within a radius of five kilometres should have one clinic committee. Which means that Grahamstown is going to have one clinic committee, from Extension 7 to the city," explained Thobile Klei, a professional nurse at Settlers' Day Hospital, who is driving the committee's formation.

He said the committee would include the chairperson of the hospital board, sisters in charge of the clinics, NGOs, traditional healers, doctors, the Makana Sub-District Department of Health manager and ward councillors.

"One of the things we want to see, at the end, is the Community Health Centre. We also want people with chronic illnesses to be treated in community clinics," he said.

Klei said the Settlers' Day Hospital was now open seven days a week. The Makana Sub-District Department of Health and the committee would now be working to make it a 24-hour facility, said Klei.

Joza residents used last Wednesday's meeting for electing the Ward 2 councillor to name their representative on the clinic committee. Nosigqibo Soxujwa was elected as Joza Clinic's clinic committee community representative.