Despite being less than ten years old, the Quba Clinic in Madina is already on the receiving end of complaints from visitors concerned at cracked walls, medical waste discarded improperly, unhelpful staff and poor sanitary conditions. “Everyone in the neighborhood was delighted when the clinic opened as it meant we had access to a doctor at any time right on our doorstep, but after I went for a routine checkup I decided I had to go somewhere else, which was much further away, because of the poor state of the place and the unfriendly woman who attended to me,” said three-months pregnant Suzan, who went to see a gynecologist. “The second place I went was a lot better,” the expecting woman said. Umm Khaled also went to see a gynecologist at the clinic. “I was taken into a small room where she was with two nurses sitting in the only two chairs in the room. They sat there looking at me and listening while I had to tell the doctor about extremely personal things,” she said. “It was very embarrassing, and I didn't feel I could tell the doctor everything I needed to. I also asked her to examine me but she refused, being too busy chatting to the nurses, and instead just gave me a prescription for some medicine.” When Umm Khaled went to see the management to express her dissatisfaction at the way she was received she was not properly attended to there either. “I went straight to the manager's office to complain about the doctor and the nurses but I found him talking to some men, and then I left without having the chance to speak to him.” Afnan Muhammad was shocked at the sanitary conditions at the clinic. “One day I took my daughter there as she was ill, and while we were waiting to be seen she said she wanted to go to the toilet, but when she went in it was absolutely filthy and there was no water! Who is responsible for all that?!” Afnan wondered. Samir Saman, Assistant Director General for Primary Health Care and Preventive Medicine said that the clinic opened only eight years ago and admitted that more medical facilities were required in the area. “The government will look into renovating the building at the Quba clinic,” Saman said. “As for the allegedly unhelpful behavior of staff, the Ministry of Health has guidelines for them to treat patients with due care and attention.”
