Health MEC accused of misstating facts on hospital’s state

Sources at the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital (RMMCH) in a Johannesburg suburb have accused the Gauteng department of health of misstating facts relating to state of the public hospital.

This is after the department said it has made significant progress in addressing issues faced by the dilapidated hospital .

The department had earlier received an open letter that was written by the hospital’s paeditrician, Dr Tim de Maayer. It was addressed to the Gauteng health department. In it, De Maayer highlighted injustices and deteriorating services at the facility in 2022.

De Maayer was subsequently blocked from accessing the premises, while sick children desperately needed healthcare.

MEC said recommendations are being completed

The MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, said her department was implementing the recommendations in the Health Ombud’s report.

She was responding to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature this month. The ombud report’s nine recommendations have been finalised. And significant progress has been made in implementing an additional 10, she said.

However, sources who spoke to Sunday World contradicted the MEC.

“It is all a lie, they are covering up for something. Rahima Moosa is still in shambles,” said a source. This after the department announced that it is making progress in implementing recommendations that were made by the Health Ombud.

Sources say facility is still in disarray

According to a Sunday World source, the (RMMCH) in Coronationville, west of Johannesburg, is still in disarray.

“This is not fair on both the employees and patients of the hospital. They certainly do not feel good about the lies that are fed the public. This is because they know the truth, they live this life,” said the source.

The source went on to allege that the hospital’s leadership and management are covering up for something.

“What is this implementation progress that they are talking about? They are covering up for something because all that they said is a lie. And this lie has everything to do with the upcoming elections. How do you lie about something like this when everyone knows the state of that hospital?

Staff, patients at risk due to all the problems

“The roofs are leaking, some wires are lying around, electricity plugs are not working and toilets are always out of order. This is putting the lives of the patients and workers at risk,” the source added.

Sunday World understands that doctors were given an order to not admit more than 50 babies regardless of their need for medical care.

Another source said the hospital struggles with water supply because the taps get blocked from time to time.

“The patient ratio has gone down because the nurses were told that doctors should not admit more than 50 babies to a certain ward because it only has 36 beds. So they can only go up to 50 and stop admitting. What we are reading on the news is new.”

According to the source, there are no cameras that have been installed at the institution.

“The new CEO was apparently appointed in April, but the announcement was kept quiet. There is a different business that handles security, but the story about the cameras is false.”

Nehawu urges government intervention

Health sector trade union Nehawu spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi confirmed the matter. He said the Health Ombudsman report on the facility was another wake-up call on the department.

“We have on numerous occasions called on the government to urgently attend to the challenges confronting the public healthcare system. It is the responsibility of the government to create safe and healthy working conditions for our members. To also provide quality healthcare services to the public,” said Nkolonzi.

He said the union is urging management to make improvements on safety. To also enforce access control for both staff personnel and visitors.

“The union will continue campaigning for safe working conditions and improved healthcare services in both the public and private healthcare sector.”

Meanwhile, the department maintains that it has finalised the ombud report’s nine recommendations.  Significant progress has been made in implementing an additional 10, it said.

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