KZN health service dubbed ‘a shambles’

‘One clinic does not qualify to be a clinic’ – parliamentary portfolio chair

THE KwaZulu-Natal healthcare service is a shambles, a parliamentary portfolio committee on health has found. A delegation from the national government made an unannounced visit to various facilities in the province last week.

“We were shocked at one clinic at uMlazi. What we saw there is appalling. The facility does not qualify to be a clinic,” Fish Mahlalela, acting portfolio chairperson, said yesterday.

“TB (tuberculosis) patients, babies and children are all kept in one area. It is worrying. The situation demands an urgent intervention,” Mahlalela said.

He said an update was given to Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, and he was required to intervene immediately.

Mahlalela said the clinic was “a simple conversion” of a house to assist the community.

“Clinic manager Khulekani Myeni said the clinic was not an ideal one. The consultation rooms are small as space is a challenge. Nurses have to share (spaces) when they see patients, thereby mixing males and females at times.

“The clinic is not maintained and toilets are blocked. At times the clinic runs out of water and there is no back-up plan.”

Mahlalela said it was unacceptable for people to be provided health services in such appalling conditions.

“Last year, the SA Human Rights Commission conducted an investigation which found that the KZN Health system was collapsing. We need 16 radiographers in Addington Hospital, for example, for the cancer unit to operate fully. There are two cancer machines and only one is operational due to a staff shortage,” he said.

Asked if a lack of political will to fix the situation was to blame, Mahlalela said: “Even if we identify political wrongs, we can’t dictate what the premier can or cannot do even if we see that the MEC is messing up.

“Shortage of staff and the infrastructure are the main challenges in the department.

“We will write a report with recommendations and table it in Parliament and then present its recommendations to the premier and the MEC.”

Dr Imran Keeka, DA spokesperson for Health, said health care under the leadership of Dhlomo had collapsed.

“There is no other immediate remedy to the problem but to fire MEC Dhlomo, a call which is a must.

“As the common denominator in the complete deterioration of healthcare services at almost all levels, and the death of more than 500 people in the unfolding oncology crisis, it is unacceptable that Premier Willies Mchunu has allowed this MEC to continue to preside over the meltdown as evidenced,” Keeka said.

He said that for universal access to health care to succeed in any way, there was a need to ensure the filling of critical and non-critical posts; the head-on tackling of malfeasance; proper maintenance of infrastructure; and the proper supply of medicines. “All of these areas have been found wanting under MEC Dhlomo’s watch. The provincial health portfolio was recently briefed by the Treasury and was informed that only 46 vacancies – of non-critical posts such as porters and cleaners – would be filled of over 2 300 vacancies.

“The visits to healthcare facilities have confirmed that services in KZN are wanting, which is a view that I have repeatedly expressed over time,” he said.

Findings at Addington Hospital’s oncology unit confirmed that there were 170 patients waiting for up to six months to receive radiotherapy.

Attempts to get comment from Dhlomo were unsuccessful.