The disturbing image of a patient, lying on a dirty floor in the spillage of a catheter, has epitomized the critical lack of care at Postmasburg hospital.
After the incident was reported to the Democratic Alliance (DA) on Friday, Cllr James Boucher visited the facility. The patient was still lying on the floor and appeared to be in a lot of pain. He was only placed back in bed after Boucher queried the matter. The patient apparently also did not get adequate support from hospital personnel in terms of bathing and being assisted to eat.
The situation is heartbreaking and inhumane and appears to be largely fueled by a dire lack of staff at the hospital, where only two nurses were reportedly on duty at the time of the incident.
It is cruel and irresponsible for the provincial Health Department to expose patients and their traumatized family members to conditions that are undignified and not conducive to quality care. In doing so, the department is also exposing medical personnel to medico-legal risks.
While a follow-up visit to the facility today found the patient in bed, in cleaner circumstances, this does not erase serious concerns from last week’s visible lack of patient care due to staff shortages. Even more so, given that MEC Maruping Lekwene announced in his Health Budget Vote in June, that the department appointed 3 287 young people in clinical and non-clinical positions across the province? If there are really so many new appointees at health facilities, why was a patient been left for a prolonged period of time, on the floor, in septic conditions?
The DA will continue to monitor the level of care being received by the patient and submit our concerns to MEC Lekwene. We will also submit parliamentary questions requesting a breakdown of the thousands of new appointees at health facilities, including where they are stationed and what positions they are occupying.
Too many critical vacancies exist in Northern Cape health facilities and must be prioritized above the superficial appointment of people for mere job creation purposes.