Gauteng premier, Panyaza Lesufi briefs media in Johannesburg on 5 July 2022. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Premier Panyaza Lesufi has lamented the challenges plaguing the Gauteng Department of Health, calling for improvement across the province’s public healthcare system.
Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital is one of the facilities in the province that has experienced issues ranging from a shortage of beds and overcrowding among others.
The issues has placed pressure on Gauteng Health, with Lesufi urging the provincial department’s senior management to give him solutions to fix the problems.
“As you know our health system, especially in our province, is under the spotlight and there are many things that are not going right. If we can hide these things for purposes of us feeling good, I really believe we are doing a serious disservice to ourselves.
“The brains that are running our health facilities are here. I said to the MECs and HODs [that] you are the ones that must tell me how to fix this system,” he told the officials during a visit on Friday.
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The premier explained that he would rather avoid coming with his own ideas on how to address the department’s challenges.
“You are at the belly of it almost on a daily basis and this is the only department I don’t want to share my vision…. I want you to tell me what must be fixed. [This department has] had eight MECs in the past 10 years, [with each] coming with new ideas and views, I don’t want to contribute to that.
“You are running this department, what are the problems? Why are you going through these negative reports? Why is there a lack of communication? The CEO says this, the staff members say that,” he added.
Meanwhile, Lesufi – alongside Health Minister Dr Phaahla – also visited the Mamelodi Regional Hospital in Pretoria where newly renovated and extended units were opened.
The refurbishments of the 13 units at the hospital was delivered below cost at R9.5 million, according to the Gauteng government.
Speaking at the hospital, the premier called on Health MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko to address the patients experiencing long queues at public healthcare facilities.
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He also questioned why is it that government officials don’t use public hospitals.
“They are the ones that must access and use these facilities to know whether they are good or not. But if you want to rely on reports from [patients] on how they were treated then we are not leaders.
“We must pass a stage where senior managers of the department meet for two hours and spend time discussing how to fix a toilet, falling ceilings, lifts that are not working, [broken] chairs [and] shortage of medication [then] we don’t deserve to be called a government,” he said.
Lesufi further urged that people from townships, hostels and informal settlements be prioritised in the healthcare.
“Our people have been suffering for far too long. This democracy will remain meaningless if we can’t change the conditions in [these areas],” he continued.
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