Enough, say healthworkers

AN EASTERN Cape healthcare coalition yesterday released a damning report on the collapsing state of healthcare in the province.

The 30-page report features experiences from patients and healthcare workers.

Some reports have been redacted because the Minister of Health and some doctors felt they would be too graphic for public consumption.

This all comes just as the department finally gets a new permanent head, Dr Thobile Mbengashe, who has committed to monitoring the service given to thousands of patients admitted to provincial health facilities, saying no patient should suffer.

The TAC’s Vuyokazi Matiso said the collapse of the health system could have been prevented. “It has cost a number of lives in a number of public health facilities in the province. We are concerned,” he said.

Grievances listed in the report, Death and Dying in the Eastern Cape, include:

•  Lack of basic services like electricity and running water in many facilities, hampering delivery of health care;

 Shortages of essential medicines and supplies due to chaos in supply chain management;

 Admin failures can mean six months for an appointment to be confirmed and three months before staff are paid;

 Such conditions drive away staff, causing understaffing;

Facilities are in disrepair;

Equipment goes unrepaired and unreplaced; and

 Patients can wait up to six hours for an ambulance in some places while in others, it never arrives.

Nombasa Mayeko of Rudasa said in a number of hospitals’ equipment was never maintained. “It hits hard at rural hospitals, patients are dying.”

Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the coalition was being selective in its approach.

“I think it would be proper to point to challenges faced by the department but at the same time recognise and acknowledge the progress being made.”

Kupelo said the department was dealing with the issues raised. It had renovated more than 200 clinics in six months, while spending close to R2-billion renovating hospitals like Cecilia Makiwane, Mjanyana Hospital and Nessie Knight Hospital.

The department has now appointed a director responsible for maintenance and purchasing medical equipment.

The coalition revealed that the department was short of 40% of nurses needed, mainly in the East London, Mthatha and Port Elizabeth complexes.

Denosa’s Kholiswa Tota said she was worried about a department run by unqualified people.

“We have cases where former teachers are senior managers within the department. These people don’t qualify to be in these positions and they don’t have a feel of how we struggle as nurses,” she said.

Yesterday former Eastern Cape health MEC Dr Trudy Thomas agreed the health system in the province was in a state of collapse.

“Hospitals and clinics are literally falling apart as the government does nothing to save the situation.

“Many who have died in the health centres could have been saved if the system was operational,” she said. — aphiwed@dispatch.co.za / bonganif@dispatch.co.za