By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane said that hospitals and public health facilities in some provinces were deplorable and violated the constitutional rights of patients.
On Friday,Mkhwebane and her deputy, Kholeka Gcaleka, released the outcome of investigations into the state of public healthcare facilities in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
The office visited more than a dozen public hospitals to conduct in loco inspections at the facilities.
Between 6 and 7 October 2020, the office visited the Christ the King District Hospital in Ixopo, Rietvlei District Hospital in uMzimkhulu, Mbongolwane District Hospital in Eshowe – Mbongolwane Reserve, and KwaMagwaza District Hospital in Melmoth.
The office found there were systemic deficiencies, such as staff shortages, poor physical infrastructure, lack of laundry services and poor information technology connectivity at the Christ the King District Hospital.
The same issues were found at the other three hospitals in KZN.
It said the department had failed to ensure “appropriate conditions for the enjoyment, delivery and access to adequate as well as effective healthcare services for the rural community of Ixopo, uMzimkhulu, Eshowe and Mthonjaneni as well as surrounding areas being served by the hospitals”.
The Gauteng report found there were administrative deficiencies at the provincial department of health that led to systemic challenges in the delivery of primary healthcare services at all six hospitals – Jubilee District Hospital, Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Lilian Ngoyi Community Health Centre and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.
Mkhwebane has instructed each hospital to address the specific problems they face. She has also instructed the heads of provincial health and public works departments to address the identified problems.
The Public Protector said that the reports would be shared with Minister of Health Joe Phaahla and Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele.