The Health Department in Limpopo says 220 out of 500 clinics operate for 24 hours in the province. The non-provision of services at night has been negatively affecting some communities.

A 21-year-old woman gave birth outside a closed clinic on Saturday night at Roossenekal. She was later taken to Lydenburg Hospital.

Roossenekal Clinic is among the 320 clinics that do not operate at night.

Health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana says they have increased the number of ambulances in the province to deal with emergencies in clinics that close at night.

“As we bring more staff into our employ, especially nurses, we are staggering the number of clinics that operate 24 hours. As we speak now out the 540 clinics that we have in the province about 220 are operating 24 hours. The reasons why we had to increase the number of our ambulances like our fleet was to ensure that we mitigate against such happenings where clinics are not working 24 hours. To say in case where a person requires health services during the night they can then easily access an ambulance that will take them to the near facility that is open.”

 VIDEO | Limpopo woman relives trauma of giving birth in the street: