MEC outlines province’s health woes
Ramokgopa says the department’s reputation has to be repaired
Gauteng’s health department is facing an uphill against billions of rands of debt.
Yesterday health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa said the department had worked on a recovery plan to address the two major problems, including the R6.5-million accruals which had accumulated within the past five years.
Ramokgopa was speaking during her visit at Esangweni Community Health Centre and a local church in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni. She said the debt had grown by R2-billion every year since 2013.
She said another problem that needed to be tackled was the department’s damaged reputation following the Life Esidimeni tragedy.
Ramokgopa said despite the challenges the department faced, she believes there is no public health crisis, adding that Gauteng hospitals and clinics had performed well according to the latest report from the Office of the Health Standards Compliance.
She said the newly built Esangweni Community Health Care Centre which she visited was an example of excellence which other health facilities ought to learn from.
“The health services must emulate this standard,” Ramokgopa said.
The MEC went around the clinic, interacting with patients who said they were satisfied with the service the facility provided.
She said the area was however burdened with a high population, adding that even the Tembisa Hospital was struggling to cope.
Some people complained to Ramokgopa about the service at other facilities.
Rudzani Rankhododo, 29, told Ramokgopa she was turned away from another facility when she tried to get her three-day-old son immunised.
“They told me to go to another clinic. I cried because at that very moment because I was worried about my child’s health.
“They should not treat us like that. It should not matter which area you come from, they must just help people,” Rankhododo said.
Chimangadzo Mudau said her area in the township was serviced by a mobile clinic but the staff refused to help people who arrive after 11am.
She said the service was very slow.
Ramokgopa assured the patients that her department would resolve the issues at those clinics.
‘‘ They told me to go to another clinic. I was worried about my child’s health