Transportation is being provided to residents of St John’s Rural South seeking medical care, as ongoing repairs to a major clinic have disrupted access, ABLP candidate and Education Minister Daryll Matthew said during an interview on ABS Television’s “Know Your Candidates” programme.

Matthew said the temporary arrangements were put in place after services at the Browns Avenue Clinic were relocated, creating challenges for patients.

“The Browns Avenue Clinic is undergoing major repairs… most of the persons from St John’s Rural South tend to go to the Browns Avenue clinic,” he said. “They now have to go to the Harberton Hospital compound… it has proven to be a little inconveniencing.”

To ease the burden, he said assistance is being offered to help residents travel to and from appointments.

“We have been providing access to persons, or transportation for persons who need to access clinical services to go back and forth,” Matthew said.

He did not specify how frequently the transport is available or whether it operates on a fixed schedule, but indicated it is aimed at residents affected by the relocation of services.

The issue arose during a broader discussion on healthcare access in the constituency, where Matthew also addressed long-term plans to expand services.

He said there have been discussions about converting an existing facility into a larger polyclinic to serve multiple communities.

“We’ve been having some discussions… about the health centre building… and perhaps retrofitting that building into a modern polyclinic,” he said, noting it could serve residents in Ottos, Browns Avenue and surrounding areas.

However, he cautioned that no timeline has been set, as the government continues to prioritise upgrades to other clinics and faces staffing constraints.

“The more clinics you set up… you need more nurses, you need more doctors… and we are short of nurses,” Matthew said, explaining that expanding facilities must be balanced against available resources.

For now, he said, the focus remains on maintaining access to care while repairs continue, with transportation support serving as a temporary measure to assist residents.