The Department of Health and healthcare non-profit organisation, Ndhlovu Care Group were ordered by the Limpopo High Court last Thursday to prepare a joint implementation plan for the transfer of HIV patients.
This is after a group of people living with HIV in the Moutse area of Ephraim Mogale Municipality dragged the department to court following Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba’s alleged decision to stop funding the organisation at the beginning of April. The court has indefinitely postponed the application and ordered both the department and Ndhlovu Care Group to sign a memorandum of understanding to regulate among others the relationship between the two, including the process of transferring and decanting of patients in the period April to 30 June 2018.
The court further ordered the department to source the assistance of the Office of Health Standards Compliance to assess the appropriateness of health facilities to which patients should be transferred and translated to. Departmental spokesperson Neil Shikwambana said the department feels vindicated by the court outcome as it affirms its stance on the issues of decanting of patients from Ndhlovu Care Group to the public health facilities. He added that the department believes that this process will be enriched by the participation of all affected stakeholders.
One of the applicants and a patient at Ndhlovu Care Group, Herbert Dolotini said they wanted to stop Ramathuba from going ahead with her decision to stop funding the organisation. He further said the department doesn’t seem to respect people living with HIV and reiterated that they are against public health facilities because there is no privacy and confidentiality. “We are labelled in public health institutions and this is why we don’t want to use public clinics and hospitals to collect our medication. I have been taking my medication at Ndhlovu since 2003 and the service is great compared to public hospitals,” explained Dolotini.
A community leader, Seun Mogotji said this was a victory ‘albeit small’ for the people of Moutse especially those infected with HIV. It also means the department admits and acknowledges their short comings and blunder with regard to the manner in which this whole issue was handled from the beginning, he stated. He further said the MEC’s arrogance did not deter or dampen the fighting spirit of all those who fought her decision all the way without fear or favour. The department must come up with a working plan after that three months period, he said, adding that if the plan inconveniences the people, they will fight the department to the bitter end.
Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za
