Councillor hospital visit amiss

WITH reference to your front page article “Irate hospital patients revolt” (POST, May 9 – 13).

Considering that elections are around the corner, one can only describe the actions of the local Phoenix councillor as political opportunism.

Members of all political parties know they just cannot show up at a hospital or clinic and purport to be there for oversight reasons. This is highly disruptive as it means the hospital or clinic management must stop attending to all patients and entertain the politicians. The hospital authorities acted correctly by escorting the councillor from the building.

If one were to visit any government institutions, whether it be hospitals, clinics, schools, a police station or a court, there are protocols to be followed. Visits are arranged and organised through the respective portfolio committees.

In the case of health facilities, this is so that arrangements can be made for minimal disruptions to patients and to ensure that such visits do not interfere with the doctors’ routine rounds and consultations.

Who or what should be on the receiving end of the protest action regarding the poor health services at Mathma Gandhi Memorial Hospital?

It is a well known fact that all government hospitals and clinics are beset with problems of finance, shortage of equipment and also lack of maintenance of equipment, shortage of staff and doctors and long working hours – all of these put together affects the quality of service delivery.

An added major contributing factor is the deployment of cadres to appease the political hierarchy, instead of appointing staff on the fit for purpose principle, a fundamental tenet in the private sector.

These are the people that should be targeted rather than the poor doctors, nurses and other members of staff.

Political capital is a very transactable commodity as we approach 2019. Make no mistake, politicians in Phoenix and elsewhere will squeeze as much as they can, when they can. REKHA PREMSHAND Phoenix