Latest news with #EasternCapeDepartmentofHealth
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Eastern Cape health department is breaking the law in the way it runs Dora Nginza Hospital
In a damning and scathing report the Public Protector has found that the Eastern Cape Department of Health is breaking a handful of laws and regulations in its management of the Dora Nginza Hospital. The Eastern Cape Department of Health has been called out for breaking several of the country's health laws and regulations and violating the Constitution in the way it runs Dora Nginza Hospital in Zwide, Gqeberha. This follows an earlier, unannounced visit to the hospital by the Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka. While the right of access to health is enshrined in the Constitution, government departments are allowed to claim they do not have the budget to implement all measures immediately. However, the Public Protector found that the department failed to use funds allocated for essential equipment. It is well-known to hospital staff that prior to an inspection, an 'advance team' is usually sent to state hospitals in the province to make sure they are clean, equipment is working and overcrowding is under control, but this time Gcaleka did not inform the department's head office in Bhisho of her visit. During the visit in 2024, the Public Protector identified numerous operational shortcomings. These included an insufficient number of security personnel on site and a defective closed-circuit television system. In addition, security protocols for maternity wards – including ID verification and visitor passes – were not properly implemented. Damning report Although the Public Protector visited the hospital in 2024, her report was released just days after two newborns were stolen from Dora Nginza Hospital's maternity ward in May. A 26-year-old woman, Sinovuyo Rabula, appeared in court on Friday, 30 May. Her bail application was postponed to 6 June. Key findings from the Public Protector's investigation include: A critical shortage of staff is negatively affecting healthcare delivery. The hospital is still operating on a 2016 organogram, which has become obsolete, especially considering the additional tertiary services it now provides. The centralised recruitment process at the provincial Department of Health office significantly delays the hiring of both clinical and non-clinical staff. The maternity ward is overcrowded, with some women who have given birth forced to wait on chairs for available beds – a situation that increases their risk of infection and other complications; and There is no privacy during patient consultations. Daily Maverick has been highlighting the crisis in state hospitals in Nelson Mandela Bay for years, including warnings about the unprecedented scale of resignations of doctors from these facilities. The Public Protector echoed what health leaders and civil society groups have been saying for the past 15 years: the absence of a district hospital in the Nelson Mandela Bay District has placed immense strain on Dora Nginza Hospital. The facility is forced to serve simultaneously as a clinic, district hospital, regional hospital and tertiary centre – particularly for obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics. The neglect of this key hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay — which provides specialist services to the entire western region of the province — was further underscored in the latest health statistics published in the District Health Barometer in April. Nelson Mandela Bay was identified as one of the worst-performing districts in the country, recording the second-highest number of maternal deaths (35) in the province – an increase of seven from the previous year. The statistics also show that both neonatal and early neonatal death rates at health facilities in the metro have risen year on year, placing the district among the country's poorest performers in this category as well. The report further highlighted the shortage of medical equipment such as blood pressure machines, haemoglobin machines, cardiotocography machines, Dinamaps (patient monitors) in the postnatal ward and infant warmers. Investigators found that the department failed to spend the allocated budget for equipment. 'The low level of spending while there is a shortage of critical medical equipment suggests that there is a serious structural problem in the Eastern Cape Department of Health, which renders the provision of basic healthcare services less reliable or not delivered in a progressive and effective manner as contemplated in the Constitution and the law,' Gcaleka said. She ordered national Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, to 'take cognisance of the report and ensure that the remedial action is implemented'. Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane was also instructed to 'ensure executive oversight so that the remedial action by the Public Protector is implemented', The head of the Eastern Cape Department of Health, Dr Rolene Wagner, was ordered to submit a detailed plan – with timelines – to address critical issues. These include: Improving hospital security; Implementing a plan within four months to convert Empilweni TB Hospital into a district hospital; Addressing severe staff shortages (medical and non-clinical); Relocating Dora Nginza's kitchen and laundry; Finalising recruitment for non-clinical vacancies; Procuring new trolleys and specialised cooking equipment and disposing of the defective ones; and Completing and submitting a finalised organogram At the time of the Public Protector's visit in 2024, Wagner was not in control of the department as she had been moved to the Office of the Premier in October 2023 to form part of his 'crack' team to solve the pressing problems in the province. She only returned to her job in August 2024. Other findings included that the province's health department was not delivering healthcare services in a 'progressive and effective manner' as contemplated by the Constitution; that treatment of patients, especially of pregnant women, at the hospital 'may be a violation of the national health regulations, which places an obligation on the functionaries of the hospital to maintain an environment which minimises the risk of disease outbreaks, the transmission of infection to other users, healthcare personnel and visitors.' The ongoing shortage of midwives and delays in filling vacant posts since 2017 – along with a lack of nurses in the postnatal ward to manage patient overflow during peak periods – continues to place a heavy burden on the hospital's limited staff and their mental wellbeing, the report noted. 'The delay in implementing intervention measures such as the establishment of a level 1 maternity service at [the] Port Elizabeth provincial hospital, which should have been done in March 2023, and the conversion of Empilweni Tuberculosis Hospital to a district hospital which would also offer level 1 maternity services has negatively impacted the delivery of antenatal and postnatal services at the hospital,' it said. Investigators also found that the outdated 2016 organogram had led to severe staff shortages in key departments, including the kitchen, laundry, theatres, maintenance, surgical units and casualty wards. Other findings include that 30 cardiotocography machines that were ordered in January 2023 had not been delivered. Only one infant warmer was working during the inspection. 'Despite regulation 13(1) of the National Health Act (NHA), placing an obligation on the hospital to ensure that the medical equipment is available and functional in compliance with the law, the functionaries of the facility and the head of Department for Health in the Eastern Cape have failed to ensure that the hospital has essential equipment in all clinical service areas,' Gcaleka said in her report. 'The undue delay in the procurement of medical equipment has [the] potential of endangering and compromising the lives of people who depend on the hospital for healthcare. The responsibility of ensuring that timeous procurement of adequate medical equipment is delivered to the hospital is the responsibility of the department to safeguard the health and safety of all workers and patients,' the report said. The hospital reportedly has only two washing machines, one of which was broken — meaning that its laundry had to be done at Livingstone Hospital. 'This is not sustainable,' the report said, adding that the issue should be speedily resolved to 'mitigate the risk of patients contracting infections and address the serious impact on the operations of the hospital. This negatively affected the availability of linen for the wards, to the extent that the linen provided to the patients was not properly cleaned.' Investigators also flagged long-standing issues with the kitchen at the hospital. These were highlighted two years ago by civil society groups in Nelson Mandela Bay. 'The equipment in the kitchen is dilapidated and very old, has surpassed its life expectancy; [it] constantly breaks down and should be replaced. The breakdown of pots is also caused by the lack of trained staff to operate the pots and over utilisation of the pots which have reached their life span.' The pots, which cost R500,000 each, should have been replaced but Gcaleka said the budget was not used. She added that new pots 'could have been procured to replace the old pots that have reached their life span'. 'The Government Immovable Assets Management Act (GIAMA) provides for the management of an immovable asset that is held or used by a national or provincial department and to ensure the coordination of the use of an immovable asset with the service delivery objectives of a national or provincial department. 'The progressive realisation contemplated by the constitution can only be understood to mean that, no matter what level of resources the department might have at its disposal, it must take immediate steps within its means towards the fulfilment of the right of access to health services, by availing resources to address the challenges relating to the shortages of medical equipment, clinical and non-clinical staff which impacts negatively on the delivery of health care services in a progressive and effective manner. The conduct of the department in not addressing these challenges is inconsistent with the Constitution,' the report added. While the Eastern Cape Department of Health has not yet commented on the Public Protector's report, provincial health minister Ntandokazi Capa's spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, said earlier in May that R143-million had been earmarked to improve services at Nelson Mandela Bay's two largest hospitals, Livingstone and Dora Nginza. He confirmed last week that 10 new doctors and a number of nurses had been appointed at Dora Nginza Hospital. DM
Daily Maverick
7 days ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Senior manager claims she was removed after blowing whistle on scam at Uitenhage hospital
The acting district manager for Nelson Mandela Bay's clinics and the Uitenhage Provincial Hospital claims she was removed from her position because she exposed a scam at the Uitenhage hospital. The acting district manager for Nelson Mandela Bay's clinics and Uitenhage Provincial Hospital, Sonia Lupondwana, has been removed from her position. Lupondwana claimed on Tuesday that she was being 'silenced' because she blew the whistle on a scam at Uitenhage Provincial Hospital, inside which she claimed state officials were running a private hospital for payment using resources from the Eastern Cape Department of Health. The department's spokesperson, Siyanda Manana, said Lupondwana's claims were false. He confirmed that a rogue private hospital was being run from inside the Uitenhage Provincial Hospital, but said that staff members, not Lupondwana, had informed the department of this. 'We are investigating. Surely we won't silence a person who means good. If we did, it means we are part of the corruption,' he said. The head of the department, Dr Rolene Wagner, wrote to Lupondwana that she had instituted an investigation into the issues raised by her. Wagner added that Lupondwana would be reassigned as the director of primary healthcare — a position that reports to the district manager. Before this, staff at the district health office lodged a litany of complaints against Lupondwana at the provincial legislature in an unsuccessful attempt to have her removed. The allegations included that Lupondwana failed to act during a life-threatening strike at the Uitenhage Provincial Hospital this month. Community cries for help in that instance led to Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Health getting involved in an attempt to restore services at the hospital. Lupondwana said she failed to intervene because she had been suffering from raised blood pressure and could not deal with an emotionally charged issue like the strike. In a letter to Wagner, Lupondwana alleged that road accident files at the hospital were sold for R600 each, that car tyres were bought for private individuals using the hospital's budget and that parts of the hospital were run as a private hospital using state resources. She said she had to handle the strike without assistance. Manana said Lupondwana had been appointed to her position pending a review of the department's organisational structure. 'Her moving to her substantive post as director for primary healthcare is standard administrative practice and does not amount to a suspension or punitive action,' he said. 'Our primary objective is to improve service delivery to the people of Nelson Mandela Bay. This requires teamwork, collaboration and focus. 'The department is unable to comment in detail on the ongoing internal processes, but we wish to state that no disciplinary action has been instituted against Lupondwana at this time. Any internal preliminary assessments or investigations do not equate to formal disciplinary action. 'Should formal processes be initiated, due process will be followed and the employee concerned will be informed accordingly.' Lupondwana said she had obtained a court order for her to be appointed as the district health manager, and that only the MEC, Ntandokazi Capa, could remove her.
The South African
22-05-2025
- Health
- The South African
Eastern Cape healthcare couple gunned down in their home
Eastern Cape police have launched a manhunt for suspects who shot and killed a healthcare couple at their home in the Dick Locality, Lusikisiki, on Wednesday night, 21 May 2025. According to SAPS, the victims, a 39-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man, were ambushed in a brutal attack at around 19:50. The man had just arrived home and was still in his vehicle when two armed men in balaclavas held him at gunpoint. The suspects allegedly demanded to see his wife and forced him into the house. Once inside, the gunmen called out for the woman. When she came out of the bedroom, they opened fire, killing her on the spot. They then shot and killed her husband. The gunmen spared the domestic worker inside the house. Police have opened a double murder case and are appealing to the public for information. The victims were employees at St Elizabeth Hospital, the woman a professional nurse, and the man a deputy director in the Eastern Cape Department of Health. Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa expressed deep shock and sadness at the killings. 'Losing a life is one too many. It is even more difficult when a health professional is involved. They play a crucial role in serving our communities,' Capa said. 'These colleagues have departed at a time when the country relied heavily on their expertise as professionals who were serving their citizens with commitment and integrity,' she said. What steps must authorities take to protect frontline healthcare workers, especially in communities plagued by violent crime with no clear motive? Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
20-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Eastern Cape cancer patients face more delays in getting critical chemotherapy
Patients, doctors and medical personnel face more chemotherapy disruptions after the Eastern Cape Department of Health said it would settle outstanding accounts with pharmaceutical companies only on Friday. The struggle for chemotherapy medication in Nelson Mandela Bay's state hospitals and at Frere Hospital in East London is likely to continue until at least the weekend, after the Eastern Cape Department of Health confirmed it would pay pharmaceutical companies that are owed millions of rands, only on Friday. With stock running dangerously low, oncologists, pharmacists and nurses have had to make excruciating decisions about who receives treatment and who does not, with some oncology units left with just one vial of the potentially lifesaving treatment. Medical staff have spent hours phoning across the province in a bid to source the drugs, particularly for children, to avoid cancer patients' treatment being interrupted. Patients' caregivers, who asked to remain anonymous, said they had been turned away when bringing children for chemotherapy. They said they had been told they would have to make a second trip when the chemotherapy drugs became available. On Monday, the Eastern Cape MEC for health, Ntandokazi Capa, promised that outstanding bills would be paid immediately; however, patients have been turned away and treatments halted. The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has launched an investigation into the repeated interruptions of cancer treatment for public healthcare patients in the Eastern Cape due to unpaid accounts. Dr Eileen Carter from the SAHRC said the Democratic Alliance (DA) had laid a complaint with them about the matter. On Monday, Capa's spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, said R200-million had been set aside for the procurement of essential specialist medicines, including for cancer treatment. He said R43-million of this would be used to settle debts with pharmaceutical companies. However, on Tuesday he said this payment would probably only be made on Friday. Salomé Meyer from the Cancer Alliance said they were deeply concerned about cancer services in the Eastern Cape. 'Livingstone Hospital (this includes the two cancer units at Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital), now for the third time this year, does not have oncology medicines, and this is barely two months after the start of the new financial year. Should this trend of non-payment of invoices to suppliers continue, the lives of cancer patients will be impacted severely,' she said. Meyer said the head of the Eastern Cape Department of Health, Dr Rolene Wagner, had committed to meeting with them to find workable solutions for cancer care services in the province. The oncology units in Gqeberha previously ran out of chemotherapy medication in January after the Eastern Cape Department of Health's account with a supplier was suspended due to a delayed payment.. At the time, the medicines that were in short supply were Docetexal injection vials and anastrozole tablets. There was a similar shortage in 2023, which was blamed on a stock-out at suppliers. DM
The South African
20-05-2025
- The South African
Eastern Cape mother hauls dead child to cops in suitcase
A 32-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the death of her three-year-old daughter after allegedly transporting the child's body in a suitcase to a police station in the Eastern Cape. According to a police statement, the woman left the child alone at their home in Mzamba in the Eastern Cape on Sunday, 18 May. She allegedly visited her boyfriend. When she returned the next day, she allegedly found the child unresponsive near the door. MOM DELIVERS TODDLER'S BODY IN SUITCASE TO SAPS Instead of calling for help, the woman packed the toddler's body into a suitcase. She then took a taxi and travelled about 30 kilometres to the police station in Mbizana in the Eastern Cape. She reported the death upon arrival, and officers immediately arrested her. The woman is set to appear in the Mbizana Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 21 May. Authorities have charged her with culpable homicide, child neglect, and defeating the ends of justice. The Eastern Cape Department of Health has launched an investigation after staff at Duncan Village Clinic in East London allegedly turned away a mother whose five-month-old baby later died. According to a Facebook post, the mother rushed her baby to the clinic on Sunday, 11 May 2025. Staff allegedly refused to help, telling her that Sundays were only for injury-related emergencies and not for treating babies. They reportedly told her to come back on Monday or visit another facility. The baby died on Monday morning, 12 May. Health officials are now investigating the incident. What systemic failures or social conditions might drive a mother to handle her child's death in such a disturbing way, instead of seeking immediate help? Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
