The Democratic Alliance (DA) has revealed that patients at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital (CMJH) in Johannesburg are experiencing significant distress, as operations are being delayed or cancelled due to a shortage of anaesthetists.
According to the DA, the anaesthetics department has been without a permanent head for six months, and there are six vacant anaesthetist positions.
The party stated that patients in the orthopaedic department were told they would have to wait until the new financial year in April for broken bones surgeries.
The DA also said that the current situation at the hospital was a result of the Gauteng Health Department's budget crisis, which has forced hospitals to freeze positions.
“This unacceptable situation is caused by the Gauteng Health Department's budget crisis, which has forced hospitals to freeze posts. Seven major medical companies, including Smith and Nephew and Strykers, have stopped supplying vital equipment because they have not been paid.”
The DA further said that doctors complained that sutures were in short supply.
The party has called for the removal of Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and the head of the department, Lesiba Malotana.
“Drastic action is needed to put in top-class people to fix a department plagued by incompetence and corruption,” the party said.
Responding to the DA, Motalatale Modiba, Head of Communications at the Gauteng Department of Health, said a specific component was missing from the hospital, which affected certain procedures in the orthopaedic department.
“There's a certain component that the orthopaedic department doesn’t have currently, which affects certain procedures, but all the other operations are still ongoing…so the impression should not be that the hospital can not do all operations.”
He said the shortage of anaesthetists and unfilled vacancies was a challenge affecting the entire Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG), not just the Health Department.
“When a position needs to be filled, approval is required from other departments, making this a challenge that affects not just the Health Department but the entire GPG. We are currently in discussions with the HOD and the Premier to fast-track the filling of critical posts,” he said.
Modiba further emphasised the importance of filling the vacant positions, stating that it was crucial for sustaining service delivery across healthcare platforms.
The DA also highlighted that Gauteng hospitals are struggling with equipment failures, which are aggravated by the Gauteng Health Department's freeze on purchasing new equipment due to budget constraints, which are expected to deplete in the coming weeks.
The party stated that the broken MRI scanner at CMJH is jeopardizing the treatment of hundreds of patients, as it is essential for accurate diagnosis.
According to the DA, the machine has been broken for weeks, and there has been no speedy action to fix it.
“It is unbelievable that this major hospital has to cope with the failure of a vital machine that is needed to save the lives of emergency patients. Cancer patients are also vulnerable as a delayed diagnosis decreases their chances of survival,” the party said in a statement.
The party also emphasized that hospital CEOs should have greater authority to purchase and maintain equipment, rather than waiting for prolonged responses from the provincial department.
“The DA Gauteng is pushing for a total shakeup of top management at this notoriously corrupt and inefficient department, which needs capable and honest staff to provide a quality health service,” the statement concluded.
The Star