MBOMBELA – The public health sector in the province is facing severe strain with no clear political direction.
The South African Medical Association (SAMA) claims that staff shortages, a lack of adequate medical equipment and the safety of medical staff in Mpumalanga’s public hospitals severely impact the quality of health care.
In protest against their working conditions, National Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) members embarked on a six-day slow strike at Themba Hospital last week. It was finally diffused on Wednesday after a meeting between the union and Department of Health.
On Tuesday Lowvelder witnessed empty halls, nursing staff standing idle due to a shortage of doctors and one doctor attending to the casualties section. Two patients lay on dilapidated gurneys waiting to be attended.
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According to Nehawu regional secretary, Sbumo Masilela, its members have a number of issues. “The first is that of the referral policy from clinics to Themba instead of to Rob Ferreira, which has been put into place without consultation with our members,” Masilela stated.
“As a result, the increased number of patients is placing doctors and nursing staff under increased pressure. Added to this is staff shortages and working conditions that are not favourable to our members. They are expected to work overtime and are not being paid for these hours. Things are really not running smoothly at the hospital and our members are very overloaded with work,” said Masilela.
Staff at Tonga Hospital have been protesting for three weeks against similar conditions. Employees have picketed during their lunch hours in protest against unpaid overtime, a lack of equipment as well as a shortage of uniforms and protective clothing.
Community members say they have to get up early to queue, but this does not guarantee them assistance at the end of the day.
Patients in the wards say they receive sub-standard food and distribution times change daily. Mosquitoes are also reportedly a problem.
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According to one of the employees, there is one blood pressure machine and a glucometer for three wards. Other complaints include water leaks and plumbing problems and old beds.
A lack of general workers like cleaners adds to the uncleanliness in the hospital and employees are worried about the health risks both they and the patients face.
Staff are also unhappy over the hospital’s CEO, whom they allege does not respond to their concerns. The hospital management referred queries to the provincial Department of Health.
Department spokesman, Dumisani Malamule, said they diffused the strike at Themba on Wednesday. He said in a statement that they had undertaken to address the issue of short staffing in the province stating that it will ensure that all available posts be advertised and will be filled.
The department also agreed to lift the suspension of Themba Hospital CEO, after he was accused of not complying with the Tobacco Act for allegedly allowing a patient to smoke in his bed. The patient had burned to death as a result.
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“This, however, does not mean that the recommendation by the Public Service Commission, Public Protector and Human Rights Commission which recommended that actions be taken against the CEO for failing to comply with the Tobacco Product Act will be uplifted,” the statement read.
Malamule added that the referral policy has been suspended.
“The department has since decided that the clinics that were initially referring to Rob Ferreira Hospital will be rerouted back to Rob Ferreira Hospital with immediate effect.
“Themba Hospital will remain only with those clinics that were referring to the hospital before the revised referral policy.”
Yet Rob Ferreira has not been without its own challenges of late. According to a resident who sought medical care at Rob Ferreira Hospital on April 6, he along with a number of others were forced to spend the night in the casualties waiting room.
“I feel bad about the treatment we are getting at our hospital. I went to Rob Ferreira Hospital at 18:00 and left the hospital the next morning at 08:00. We had to sleep in the casualty waiting room on the steel benches with other patients,” he said in a post on Facebook.
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The mother of an autistic child said she was recently forced to spend a night in the waiting room at the hospital for the second time this year.
On Tuesday the provincial Department of Health said they met with representatives of SAMA to address their concerns about conditions in specifically Themba, Mapulaneng and Rob Ferreira hospitals.
Malamule said that they agreed to implement consultations between the department and SAMA.
The latter’s spokesman, Mark Sonderup, said the association has requested a meeting with the national director general for health. “We must stress that health in the public sector is straining severely – with no clear political direction from the national health minister,” he added.
The department added that it was committed to providing medical health care in the province.
“The department will always put the needs of the public first ensuring that people are not deprived of their right to medical care. The department will together with all relevant stakeholders ensure that all issues raised are attended to.”
Aside from his statement on Themba, Malamule did not respond to the newspaper’s enquiries.
