Following last year's embattled state at Fort Beaufort Hospital which was in dire need of intervention, the Department of Health has stepped in and turned things around at the troubled institution.
The 70-bed hospital received brand new beds and mattresses, beside lockers, foot stools and tables for each bed to better aid in assisting the community of Fort Beaufort.
Sizeka Monakali, the hospital's newly appointed chief executive welcomed the changes, saying 28 new staff members were also appointed in areas like nursing, administration, radiographer and a medical doctor.
"As management we were concerned about the state the hospital was in and we have faced many challenges but since these were highlighted in the media we were in the process of addressing these issues.
"And since we have employed more staff members, replaced the old beds with the new ones, we have noticed a change in staff morale. It has improved a lot and that is because the environment has improved," she said.
Monakali, who was assumed her new role on May 31 2016, said there were several short-term plans such as general maintenance around the hospital which will start at the end of September for six months.
The hospital also added four recovery trolley beds, 10 filing cabinets, eight linen trolleys, four emergency trolleys and eight dressing trolleys as part of its equipment which was provided by the provincial department.
The Daily Dispatch last year visited the troubled hospital and discovered that patients were found to survive on meagre portions of food, the unhygienic and dirty hospital proved to be broken down and unsafe.
Nurses said due to a severe shortage of general workers at the facility, they were often forced to mop floors, wash dishes or serve meals.
This heeded a speedy visit from the department's MEC Dr Phumza Dyantyi to see first-hand some of the challenges exposed.
The general cleanliness of the hospital was appalling but Monakali said this was a thing of the past.
Health dept steps in to improve Fort Beaufort hospital
Following last year's embattled state at Fort Beaufort Hospital which was in dire need of intervention, the Department of Health has stepped in and turned things around at the troubled institution.
The 70-bed hospital received brand new beds and mattresses, beside lockers, foot stools and tables for each bed to better aid in assisting the community of Fort Beaufort.
Sizeka Monakali, the hospital's newly appointed chief executive welcomed the changes, saying 28 new staff members were also appointed in areas like nursing, administration, radiographer and a medical doctor.
"As management we were concerned about the state the hospital was in and we have faced many challenges but since these were highlighted in the media we were in the process of addressing these issues.
"And since we have employed more staff members, replaced the old beds with the new ones, we have noticed a change in staff morale. It has improved a lot and that is because the environment has improved," she said.
Monakali, who was assumed her new role on May 31 2016, said there were several short-term plans such as general maintenance around the hospital which will start at the end of September for six months.
The hospital also added four recovery trolley beds, 10 filing cabinets, eight linen trolleys, four emergency trolleys and eight dressing trolleys as part of its equipment which was provided by the provincial department.
The Daily Dispatch last year visited the troubled hospital and discovered that patients were found to survive on meagre portions of food, the unhygienic and dirty hospital proved to be broken down and unsafe.
Nurses said due to a severe shortage of general workers at the facility, they were often forced to mop floors, wash dishes or serve meals.
This heeded a speedy visit from the department's MEC Dr Phumza Dyantyi to see first-hand some of the challenges exposed.
The general cleanliness of the hospital was appalling but Monakali said this was a thing of the past.
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