Health services in Loeriesfontein are being run into the ground, five months after the Health Department committed to address growing challenges at the hospital.
This was confirmed during an oversight inspection by myself and Michael Kaars, MPL to health facilities in the area and a meeting with concerned community members at the clinic.
Promises were made by the district manager and the health Head of Department (HOD) that the clinic would be opened within one month, providing false hope to the Loeriesfontein community.
The Loeriesfontein hospital is being run like a family tuckshop.
The nursing sister in charge allows cleaners to handle patient files and access to the dispensary. The lack of controls allows confidential health information to end up in the street. Those dispensing are also accused of helping themselves to medicines, and of not dispensing the full prescription to patients.
The nursing sister’s husband, who is employed by the Emergency Medical Services in Calvinia, has abdicated his official responsibilities and instead co-manages the hospital.
He reportedly accused a cancer patient, who had an appointment, of pushing in front of other people, allegedly confronting her and calling her an obscene name. When her husband tried to intervene, he tried to fight with him. Others have complained that he chases patients away, while he has no right to be there. Patients avoid visiting the hospital because they are afraid of confrontation.
The couple’s son, who is a project worker, drives around town with personnel in a recently donated Patient Transport Vehicle (PTV), as if it is their own private bus. This is contrary to hopes that the vehicle would make health services more accessible, following the closure of the Primary Health Care (PHC) facility in Loeriesfontein and the relocation of all services to the Community Health Centre (CHC). This especially poses a challenge to the elderly and those living far away.
During discussions with the HOD in around June, he promised to send a delegation to conduct oversight and address the problems, and that a nurse would be appointed to the PHC within a month, to allow it to reopen. This never happened. Promises by the Health District Manager, to address the above challenges, also never materialised.
The DA is increasingly concerned about threats by frustrated community members, to burn down Loeriesfontein health facilities because they have become useless to the community.
The situation is volatile and must not be allowed to fester any longer.
I am calling on the MEC, HOD and District Manager to act now. I will further include the Premier and the Northern Cape Police Commissioner in my correspondence, to make them aware of the looming threat, should health fail to act on the hijacking of health care in Loeriesfontein.