Limpopo scrambles to probe hospitals

LIMPOPO’s health department has launched an investigation into the state of care at its biggest hospital.

The probe comes after patients and doctors at Pietersburg Hospital in the provincial capital, Polokwane, told the Sunday Times that a shortage of basic equipment and services was crippling its healthcare service, resulting in patients dying needlessly.

Doctors claimed a dire shortage of specialists in the province had forced junior doctors to perform surgery.

In the wake of the allegations, Limpopo health MEC Phophi Ramathuba said the new health ombudsman, Malegapuru Makgoba, would investigate complaints.

Among the complainants was Bianca Loots, who told the Sunday Times last week that after she had a miscarriage in January this year, hospital staff performed an evacuation without anaesthetic. She also claimed nurses refused to give her water or food for four days.

Ramathuba said Makgoba would investigate the claims made by Loots, but based on her own investigation she could find no misconduct.

“However, an independent person needs to ensure that all the correct procedures were followed,” she said.

Ramathuba dismissed claims that a junior doctor had performed brain surgery.

“That is criminal . . . there is no way a junior doctor can

There is no way a junior doctor can perform brain surgery. That is impossible

perform brain surgery. That is impossible. I have not found anything that supports this claim,” she said.

Limpopo was placed under administration in 2011. Health was one of five provincial departments placed under administration by the cabinet — along with the treasury, education, roads and transport, and public works — due to maladministration and poor financial management.

It regained control of its finances in February this year.

Ramathuba said she had issued a directive to ensure that the province would reduce its orthopaedic backlog.

Patients with fractures told the Sunday Times last week that they had been waiting more than a month for surgery because the hospital did not have a traction table.

“The traction table has been on back order because of the supplier. All the patients have since been transferred to Mankweng Hospital,” said Ramathuba.

She said Letaba Hospital outside Tzaneen had opened a state-of-the-art maternity ward this week.

This follows reports that mothers were sleeping on the floor with their newborns because there were not enough beds.

“We appeal to doctors and nurses to take responsibility for the running of their hospitals and not to just leave it up to hospital management,” said Ramathuba.