The Eastern Cape health department is opening a call centre to deal with the public's concerns and complaints, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Through this centre members of the public will be afforded an opportunity to interact directly with the department on any issue," spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said.

Kupelo said the centre, which opens on Monday, would deal with health-related issues such as ambulance response times and the quality of health service provided by hospitals and clinics.

The department had been inundated with complaints regarding the quality of health service provided by hospitals, clinics and administration services.

"The complaints were related to poor service in hospitals, non payment of benefits due to retired employees and shortage of health professionals," Kupelo said.

The idea of the call centre was the brainchild of the newly appointed health MEC Pemmy Majodina.

Sapa