Locals raise concerns about Pholosong Hospital

The main purpose of the march was to demand better conditions for patients at the healthcare facility.

The marchers were led by Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) representatives from Kwatsaduza, Daveyton and Etwatwa, LoveLife and the community.

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According to TAC Women’s Representative at the Kwatsaduza branch, Sibongile Khumalo, one of the major concerns they have is that the hospital is very small and tends not to treat patients correctly, thus resulting in unnecessary deaths.

“In the memorandum some of our listed concerns include the shortage of staff, the hospital and wards being dirty and the lack of privacy and dignity of patients.

“We have further raised concerns about stinking beds and rights of patients being violated (some admitted patients are made to sleep in corridors) and lack of security, whereby patients are able to leave without being noticed.

“Patients are also having to bathe in cold water, and there is a delay for women who want to terminate pregnancy due to lack of staff and scans, and they do not have much privacy,” says Khumalo.

The marchers have therefore demanded to be given plans on how the hospital will deal with these challenges.

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They want so see the staff organogram, the number of staff members serving the community and plans for protecting patients’ rights.

Furthermore, the group wants a separate women’s clinic outside the hospital where those coming to terminate a pregnancy can get education and treatment as well as privacy to protect them from stigma.

The memorandum of demands was handed over by the TAC to the Gauteng Department of Health representative, Thokozani Langa.

The group has given the hospital seven days to respond and if it fails to do so they will lodge a formal complaint with the Public Protector.