Disturbing state of health care in Limpopo

Yet another report, this time from Treatment Action Campaign (Tac) has surfaced to reveal the dire state of the health system in Limpopo.
A 17 page document containing grievances and demands was reportedly forwarded to the Department of Health for answers and a plan on how the issues will be resolved. Tac Provincial Manager Moses Makhomisani said the health system in Limpopo is plagued with severe staff shortages and a huge loss of experienced senior staff as they are lured to other provinces and the private sector by better pay and working conditions. Reportedly the procurement of basic equipment such as casualty ventilators, arterial blood gas machines and anaesthetic machines moves at a slow pace which leads to rising morbidity and mortality from preventable conditions in regional hospitals. Some regional hospitals continue to exist without functional high care units, the report states. Tshilidzini Hospital in Shayandima allegedly functions without a high care unit and an Intensive Care Unit that has only four beds while new equipment has been delivered at both Pietersburg Provincial Hospital and Mankweng Hospital. It was further learnt that the department has a budget allocation of R500 million from the conditional grant and a further R143 million in the budget to ensure revitalisation of infrastructure. The department reportedly spent R12 million on equipment for primary healthcare facilities and a further R28 million for upgrading equipment at district and regional hospitals recently, but Tac Limpopo pledged to continue monitoring the situation as this improvement has not yet been felt in many of the facilities. The report highlights over 17 public health facilities in Vhembe and Mopani districts needing urgent renovation as the structures are aged, broken or too small to ensure quality healthcare services. Tac demands an urgent and fully-funded plan before the end of July to address infrastructural issues in different health facilities and the department must ensure that there is adequate funding and personnel to maintain the institutions. The organisation further demands that all 17 health institutions be fitted with the appropriate technology and the department in conjunction with the Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure to strengthen the infrastructure unit to address backlog and routine maintenance and the building of new health facilities and to prevent any unnecessary under expenditure of the Health Infrastructure Grant.
“The health system in Limpopo is broken. It is failing thousands of the province’s most vulnerable people who rely on free healthcare. Our peoples’ Constitutional right to basic healthcare is being violated. Monitoring in recent months at facilities across the Mopani and Vhembe districts confirm the extent of the provincial health crisis,” Tac stated.
Makhomisani emphasised that they tried several times to secure a meeting with MEC Phophi Ramathuba but to no avail. The Department of Health could not confirm receipt of the report.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za