Lives at risk as budget constraints again put hold on hospital for Plett
After years of pleading for a hospital to be built in Plettenberg Bay, another budget has been passed which does not accommodate it, putting lives at risk.
As a result, thousands of Bitou residents will have to continue to wait for hours, in many cases, for one of two ambulances servicing the area to complete the more than 50km trip to the Knysna Provincial Hospital to receive treatment.
Western Cape Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said while the department was aware of the need for a District Level 1 Hospital in Bitou, budget constraints had forced it to put its plans to develop a facility on hold.
“We have identified the need for a District Level 1 Hospital
in Bitou. The initial plan — before the Covid-19 pandemic significantly compromised the health budget — was to build a hospital in Bitou by 2030.
“However, due to the budgetary constraints to build and operate a hospital, the department is reviewing this plan to achieve this goal, budgets permitting,” Mbombo said.
Her sentiments were not well- received by Treatment
Action Campaign district coordinator Siphokazi Cele, who said the situation could be life-threatening in cases where the local clinic was unable to provide the necessary medical assistance.
“When someone is sick in Kurland in the middle of the night, we are told the ambulance is still coming from Knysna and will pass by Kwanokuthula, which is 24km away from Kurland.
“And then still go to Kranshoek before reaching the destination and after that the patient will need to go back to Knysna,” Cele said.
She said the NGO, which monitored the treatment of patients in healthcare facilities and advocated for their rights, would continue with its efforts to have a hospital built in Plettenberg Bay.
Mbombo said in addition to building costs, the department also had to factor in the running costs for a small district hospital, which was between about R110m to R130m a year.
“As a department, we are cognisant of the challenges being experienced in the community.
“For this reason, we always consider and find alternatives to address the demands facing our facilities.
“This, however, requires resources and has become increasingly more difficult to do considering the constrained fiscal space in which we operate.
“The issue is not related to the number of ambulances, but instead is a staffing challenge as it takes nine staff to provide one ambulance with 24/7/365 services.”