Outa picketing outside Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital demanding actions from the Gauteng Health Department for 'harrasing' doctor who blew the whistle on horrendous conditions at the hospital. Photo: Outa
Members of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) on Thursday picketed outside Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Johannesburg, in support of the doctor who blew the whistle on the horrible conditions at the facility.
Paediatrician Dr Tim de Maaye was suspended and reinstated after he penned an open letter about the appalling conditions at his workplace.
He detailed how problems such as load shedding, water shortages, and an overburdening of the system are affecting the health of, and contributing to the deaths of young children.
Now Outa says they are supporting Dr Tim de Maaye for voicing his concerns regarding the health crisis at the hospital, after the Gauteng DA spokesperson on health Jack Bloom revealed that the doctor will be served with a warning letter and was forced to apologise to the CEO Dr Nozuko Mkabayi.
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They are also starting a campaign calling for Mkabayi to be investigated for her conduct regarding the issue.
Ali Ghule who is a Community Engagement Officer at Outa, said the hospitals’ top brass is harassing De Maaye.
“You cannot punish the doctor for telling the truth. We regard him as a whistle blower. The harassment will deter other whistle blowers from coming out. He is only creating awareness about the troubles not only at the Rahiima Moosa,” said Ghule.
The CEO of Outa Wayne Duvenage described the situation at the hospital as ‘diabolical ‘ and said it highlighted the health crisis in the country.
“This call for a commission. The minister and the MECs need to seriously get down to the business of getting competence into hospital management.
“CEOs need a lot of experience and it is a complex situation to manage and we need the right people to manage our hospitals and to listen to our doctors, nurses and patience by taking the matters seriously,” said Duvenage.
Additional information by Faizel Patel
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