Their house needs to be in order

The health department is in the news this week…for all the wrong reasons. Sedibeng Ster carries three stories in which the department finds itself in a weak light and something needs to be done as this is one of the most important departments in terms of providing essential service to our people.

What happened to the young boy who went in for circumcision and came out scarred for life should never have transpired in the first place. The department needs to take those responsible for this to task.

It also seems as if we are not safe at the government institutions or we would not have had a ‘mad’ man running around the premises of Kopanong Hospital, vandalising cars of staff and community members.

The question remains: Who is to pay for all the damage caused to those vehicles? Serious damage amounting to thousands of rands has been done. The department would argue that the patient was not yet registered in their books, but he was still on their premises to which he had free access as the security clearly failed to apprehend him.

Last but not least, it pains me to hear that community health workers (CHW’s) go for months without getting paid. These people also play an important part in making sure that community members are well taken care of when they visit clinics and hospitals. Most even go to the extent of going to the houses of patients, some bedridden with serious illnesses to provide them with well-needed attention and medication. If the department does not take care of them, who should?

I agree with most of them when they say that they need to be given permanent employment, thereby making sure that they enjoy most of the benefits available. These are but some of the issues that the department needs to sort out and the sooner they do, the better. Their house needs to be in order.