Prominent member is not impressed with hospital

Keke Koalepe, a prominent member of the Alexandra community is livid about the treatment he received at Edenvale Hospital.

Koalepe was admitted to ward 3 where there were no beds available. He was then moved to ward 9. Koalepe’s wife, Caroline said he did not even have a proper pillow. “He is an old man and his head and neck are supposed to be supported by a proper pillow,” she said. Caroline claimed that some of her husband’s clothes and toiletries had disappeared and no one could tell them where they were.

Koalepe said the manner in which he was treated was unacceptable. “I am a prominent member of the Alexandra community and I will not keep quiet if other people are scared to complain. The toilets and bathrooms are not even up to standard,” he said. Koalepe added that he was aware of his health rights and that patients were not given diets according to their illness.

Koalepe alleged that he waited three days before a specialist examined him.

A nurse in ward 9, Ndifelani Monyai said she was unaware of Koalepe’s complaints. “The specialist was here, but I heard from another nurse that he (Koalepe) was outside in the sun.” She claimed that Koalepe’s clothes went missing because he left ward 3.

Hospital CEO Dr Norman Kernes said they tried their utmost to take care of their patients and they would make sure that Koalepe was well taken care of. “We have specialists come to the hospital everyday and I find it very odd that he has not seen one.” He added that the hospital food was nutritious and that they had special diets for patients with diabetes, not a diet for every patient.