Despite some interventions by the Mpumalanga health department, a litany of challenges at hospitals continue to cripple the quality patient care in the province
Healthcare users who depend on state ambulances have to make do with only 58 vehicles that are in working condition, while absent doctors, poor administration, staff shortages and persisting security challenges also plague the healthcare system.
“The lack of services in Mpumalanga is shocking. There are also doctors on the payroll for overtime who do not ever work at the hospital. Management is aware of this issue and some participate in this kind of behaviour, so there is no one to report this to.” During an oversight visit to Witbank Hospital in July, the provincial legislature’s health committee found the hospital to have a vacancy rate between 11% and 34%. When asked what the department was doing to address this, Malamule said: “At the beginning of each financial year, the department compiles a list of priority posts to be filled to ensure that all critical areas are adequately staffed, based on the available budget.
He said the department was putting measures in place to ensure that cataract operations are performed on the weekends in Tonga Hospital and other hospitals that perform the operation.During another oversight visit at Kwamhlanga Hospital, also in July, the committee found, among other things, a backlog of orthopaedic and psychiatric services, with patients waiting beyond 72 hours because of lack of space at the Witbank Hospital psychiatric unit.
According to the department, Mafoko Patrols did not want to vacate the premises after its contract had ended and the owner had told workers to remain on site. The situation has since been resolved. While tabling her budget speech earlier this year, Mpumalanga Health MEC Sasekani Manzini said her department planned to procure 10 new ambulances in this financial year.
The department attributed this to the fact that its medicine supply management systems are not interlinked to optimise stock visibility. In its report, the department undertook to “work tirelessly to innovate medicine supply management systems to enhance operations and improve stock availability”.
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