Durban – The KwaZulu-Natal portfolio committee on health has called on the provincial department of Health to ensure their facilities are ready and can handle the emergencies that usually occur during the festive season.
The committee will this week undertake oversight visits to some of these facilities to assess their state.
The chairperson of the health portfolio committee Nomakiki Majola said: “The committee will conduct what it considers to be a ‘week of intensive work’ to assess the preparedness of health institutions amid the festive season.
“Last year alone it was reported by the transport minister that 1 685 people lost their lives on the country's roads during the 2021 festive season, a 14% increase compared to the previous period.
“It is against this background that the committee resolved to undertake oversight visits to critically assess if the institutions are ready to handle the anticipated high numbers of patients because of accidents, and other crime related injuries that we see every festive season.”
The visits will take place in four district municipalities at King Cetshwayo’s KwaMagwaza Hospital, Zululand District’s Nkonjeni and Itshelejuba hospitals, and at Amajuba’s Newcastle Provincial Hospital.
Majola has vowed to ensure all health institutions adhere to acceptable norms and standards with regards to the equipment, staffing, and processes necessary to deliver quality health care to the citizens of the province.