Lydenburg Hospital’s service standard a major concern
The deteriorating standard of service at Lydenburg Hospital has caused a lot of frustration within the community and the hospital’s staff members.
The staff members wish to remain anonymous, but said on Wednesday March 23 that they do not have the tools to help any patients.
An urgent call was made to the Department of Health’s MEC, Sasekani Manzini, by the Lydenburg DA to intervene. A DA councillor, Comfort Sibiya, said its investigation revealed a chronic shortage of cleaning staff, and stale food mixed with filthy dishes in buckets left unattended.
Also read: Newborn rescued from pit toilet in Ka-Majika
“Some staff members complained about the hospital walls, windows and curtains that have not been washed or cleaned for months now. These are unacceptable highly dangerous and pose deadly conditions for patients, visitors and hospital staff. We found that a single staff member is responsible for cleaning the children’s ward, working from Monday to Friday, 07:00 to 16:00, leaving no one else to do the cleaning on weekends. As a result of the lack of cleaning staff, patients and visitors have resorted to taking matters into their own hands and doing their own dishes and mopping floors. This is how the stale food as well as dirty dishes, which seemed to be there for quite a long time, were discovered,” said Sibiya.
Moreover, other wards like casualty, medical, and maternity also have a single cleaner responsible for as many as 44 patients in a single department within the ward.
This is while they still have to tend to Posts for cleaners were advertised by the hospital and interviews were held in December 2020.
However, no appointments have been made to fill these vacant positions due to alleged budget constraints. Patients have also complained about and reported the shortage of food and other essential supplies at the hospital.
Also read: DA: Health’s R14bn in legal cases a concern
A young woman of Mashishing informed Steelburger/Lydenburg News about the lack of care at Lydenburg Hospital during her pregnancy.
“The people refused to do an ultrasound or give me prenatal vitamins. I don’t know what to do. Every time I go to the hospital, they say I must come back next month. And now I am eight months pregnant and still haven’t received an ultrasound. I feel as if they don’t care about me or my child. I don’t even know how they will treat me when I go into labour, and am very worried,” she said.
A media enquiry on both issues was sent to the Department of Health on Friday April 1. No reply had been received by the time of going to press.
