The National Health Department has confirmed that over 40 forensic pathologist laboratories across the country do not comply with health standards, with broken fridges and unhygienic conditions among the complaints. This has led to long waits for estates and insurance claims, but also closure for family members.
One facility has not been checked since "before Covid-19".The National Health Department has confirmed that over 40 forensic pathologist laboratories across the country do not comply with health standards ”, with broken fridges and unhygienic conditions among the complaints.confirmed that there were over 17,000 toxicology cases, some dating back to 2007, still pending. This has led to long waits for estates and insurance claims, but also closure for family members.
Some of the other reasons for not making the grade included: “poor maintenance”, “fridges not working properly”, “poor infrastructure”, “poor management of medical waste”, “poor housekeeping”, and “unhygienic conditions”. The Sasolburg lab in the Free State, Lydenburg lab in Mpumalanga, and Mossel Bay and Worcester in the Western Cape were not inspected in the last year.
Witbank in Mpumalanga and Kimberley in the Northern Cape were last checked in 2022, while a facility in Paarl, Western Cape, and uMzimkhulu and Ixopo mortuaries in KwaZulu-Natal were last checked in 2021.Worryingly, Kokstad Forensic Mortuary in KZN was last inspected in 2020 and the KwaMhlanga lab in Mpumalanga was listed as last inspected “before Covid-19”.
Four facilities in Limpopo, one in the Western Cape, and one in Mpumalanga had not been inspected. Inspection dates for five facilities in the North West, four in the Western Cape and two in KZN were not provided.‘He’s a liability’ – Mbalula criticised for video of him dancing on Nile River instead of ‘stopping ANC decline’
Forensic Pathologist Laboratories Health Standards Broken Fridges Unhygienic Conditions Long Waits Estates Insurance Claims Closure