Latest news with #EasternCapeDepartmentofHealth
The South African
6 days ago
- Health
- The South African
131 pupils treated for food poisoning at Eastern Cape school
Health officials treated about 131 pupils from Gobisizwe Agricultural School in Ngqeleni for suspected food poisoning on Wednesday. According to the Eastern Cape Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services in Mthatha responded at about 1 pm after the school reported that several pupils had fallen ill. Emergency team transported the pupils to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha Regional Hospital, and Ngangelizwe Community Health Centre for medical care. Speaking with Newzroom Afrika , Department spokesperson Siyanda Manana described the incident as 'unfortunate'. She said pupils had experienced dizziness, vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, and abdominal pain. 'All those symptoms point to suspected acute food poisoning. They ate rice and tinned fish, so we suspect this is the source. However, environmental health practitioners will confirm the exact cause,' said Manana. The Eastern Cape Department of Education has previously issued a memorandum warning schools about the risks of food poisoning. The memo urged schools to follow the revised guidelines of the National School Nutrition Programme and ensure compliance with food safety policies. The department instructed district offices to provide direct support to schools to prevent food contamination and food-borne diseases. The memorandum instructed principals and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) to accredit all vendors on school premises and ensure they meet required food preparation standards. 'Working together will ensure that pupils are safe and their consumption is monitored. The MEC also urged parents and schools to remain on high alert to prevent such incidents,' the department said at the time. 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.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
70 Eastern Cape learners hospitalised after suspected food poisoning
About 70 learners from Gobisizwe Agricultural School in Ngqeleni have been hospitalised following a suspected case of food poisoning. Image: FILE About 70 learners from Gobisizwe Agricultural School in Ngqeleni have been hospitalised following a suspected case of food poisoning, the Eastern Cape Department of Health confirmed on Wednesday. Department spokesperson Siyanda Manana said the province's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded earlier in the day to the incident at the school. 'About 70 schoolchildren were transported to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha Regional Hospital, and Ngangelizwe Community Health Centre,' said Manana. He added that the team dispatched both ambulances and a helicopter to assist the learners. 'Some of the learners were on intravenous drips, and those in serious condition were airlifted to the hospital,' he said. The incident comes amid growing concerns over food safety in South Africa. Last year, several provinces recorded outbreaks of food poisoning among schoolchildren, allegedly linked to contaminated food sold by street vendors. Last year, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi reported that 23 people, most of them children aged between six and nine, died after consuming food from informal shops. In response, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged all spaza shops and food outlets to register with their local municipalities to help curb the rise in food-borne illnesses. IOL News previously reported that the Cabinet also moved to strengthen regulations. In June, it announced an immediate ban on the import of the toxic chemical rodenticide Terbufos, commonly known as 'halephirimi,' after it was allegedly linked to the deaths of six children in Naledi, Soweto. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the decision followed a report by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Food-Borne Illnesses, supported by the Ministerial Advisory Council (MAC), chaired by Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. 'The MAC, which comprises health experts from multiple disciplines, found that Terbufos, a highly hazardous chemical, was the likely cause of the children's deaths,' said Ntshavheni. The Department of Agriculture will lead public consultations on the Terbufos ban, in line with the government's 2010 strategy to phase out toxic pesticides and promote safer alternatives. Cape Times
IOL News
13-08-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Suspected food poisoning at Eastern Cape school leaves 70 learners in hospital
About 70 learners from Gobisizwe Agricultural School in Ngqeleni have been hospitalised following a suspected case of food poisoning Image: pexels About 70 learners from Gobisizwe Agricultural School in Ngqeleni have been hospitalised following a suspected case of food poisoning, the Eastern Cape Department of Health confirmed on Wednesday. In a media statement, department spokesperson Siyanda Manana said the province's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded earlier in the day to the incident at the school. 'About 70 schoolchildren were transported to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha Regional Hospital, and Ngangelizwe Community Health Centre,' said Manana, who is the department's Director of Communications. He added that the team dispatched both ambulances and a helicopter to assist the learners. 'Some of the learners were on intravenous drips, and those in serious condition were airlifted to the hospital,' he said. The incident comes amid growing concerns over food safety in South Africa. Last year, several provinces recorded outbreaks of food poisoning among schoolchildren, allegedly linked to contaminated food sold by street vendors. Gauteng was the province worst affected. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Last year, Premier Panyaza Lesufi reported that 23 people, most of them children aged between six and nine, died after consuming food from informal shops. In response, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged all spaza shops and food outlets to register with their local municipalities to help curb the rise in food-borne illnesses. IOL News previously reported that the Cabinet also moved to strengthen regulations. In June, it announced an immediate ban on the import of the toxic chemical rodenticide Terbufos, commonly known as 'halephirimi,' after it was allegedly linked to the deaths of six children in Naledi, Soweto. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the decision followed a report by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Food-Borne Illnesses, supported by the Ministerial Advisory Council (MAC), chaired by Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. 'The MAC, which comprises health experts from multiple disciplines, found that Terbufos, a highly hazardous chemical, was the likely cause of the children's deaths,' said Ntshavheni. While the exact circumstances of exposure remain under investigation, authorities believe the children may have consumed contaminated food purchased from a local spaza shop. The Department of Agriculture will lead public consultations on the Terbufos ban, in line with the government's 2010 strategy to phase out toxic pesticides and promote safer alternatives. IOL News
Daily Maverick
27-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
More than two dozen children have starved to death in Nelson Mandela Bay in the past year
Alarmingly, the numbers have almost doubled since 2023, when 14 children under the age of five starved to death in Nelson Mandela Bay. Twenty-five children under the age of five died of severe acute malnutrition in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro in the past 12 months, and hundreds more had to be treated for less severe conditions triggered by starvation. Statistics released by the Eastern Cape Department of Health reveal that in the past 12 months, 237 children under five were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition and 501 with moderately severe and acute malnutrition, with more than 100 children being diagnosed in March alone. Alarmingly, the numbers have almost doubled since 2023, when 14 children under the age of five starved to death in Nelson Mandela Bay and another 216 new cases of severe acute malnutrition were confirmed over 18 months between 2022 and 2023. Read more: A silent killer is stalking babies in Nelson Mandela Bay Nelson Mandela Bay is widely regarded as the most prosperous metro in the province. Despite being the largest metro in the province, it has been allocated only R855,283 for its Social Relief of Distress programme by the provincial Department of Social Development. Between August 2024 and March 2025, only 241 food parcels were distributed by the department in the metro. The Human Sciences Research Council's National Food and Nutrition Security Survey, which was published last year, showed that in the metro 40% of children were stunted to some degree, with 14% being diagnosed with severe stunting, and 1.5% diagnosed as 'wasting', meaning their weight is lower than average for their height. According to the survey, 20% of households in the metro were experiencing severe food insecurity. In September 2024, the Eastern Cape Social Economic Council unpacked a provincial strategy to address hunger in the Eastern Cape. This followed the release of a report on hunger in the province by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), which said child malnutrition in the Eastern Cape should be declared a disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act, compelling the government to intervene immediately and decisively. It found that a substantial percentage of children in the Eastern Cape were suffering from malnutrition. The SAHRC suggested that the government should increase the Child Support Grant (it was R480 at the time and is now R520) and extend the school nutrition programme to early childhood development centres. The Eastern Cape head of the SAHRC, Dr Eileen Carter, said the data that was provided to them had shown that from 2021 to 2022, more than 1,000 children in the province were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition, and 120 of them had died. The data also showed that 25% of the province's children were stunted. This has now increased to 40%. With the automotive sector being the heartbeat of the province's metros, the Automotive Business Council of SA's CEO, Mikel Mabasa, this month warned that the Eastern Cape was facing a humanitarian crisis because of high export tariffs imposed by the US that will probably come into effect on Friday. The tariffs have put a potential 100,000 jobs on the line. DM
Daily Maverick
02-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Karoo residents up in arms over plan to move and integrate emergency ambulance call centre
A plan to move the ambulance call centre for several Karoo towns, currently based in Murray Street, Graaff-Reinet, to the call centre at Dora Nginza Hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay has residents up in arms. They say the Eastern Cape Department of Health is putting lives at risk. These towns are the first of a planned call centre move that includes Makhanda and Humansdorp. Communities in the Karoo are up in arms over the planned closure of the Graaff-Reinet Emergency Medical Services call centre. They say merging the facility with the one in Nelson Mandela Bay, 250km away, will put their lives at risk. A document explaining the reason for the move states: 'The Department of Health has embarked on the implementation of an Electronic Call Taking and Dispatch System to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). This technology-driven initiative represents a significant step forward in modernising our emergency response infrastructure.' According to a schedule provided in a signed letter by the department, the ambulance call centre in Graaff-Reinet was scheduled for closure on 1 July 2025, but residents confirmed that it was still open. A message sent to control room staff said the exact date of closure was still to be confirmed. The announcement of the closure was made just over a month ago. 'The Electronic Call Taking Centre based at Dora Nginza Hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay has been fully established and is now operational. In order to optimise the benefits of this system, the Department will be expanding its reach to additional districts,' the document continued. '[The] Sarah Baartman District, due to its proximity and current reliance on outdated, paper-based call-taking methods – which have proven unreliable, particularly due to issues such as cable theft – has been identified as the next priority area for integration. 'The Department will begin by phasing in the control rooms located in Humansdorp, Makhanda (Grahamstown) and Graaff-Reinet. Once integrated, emergency calls originating from these areas will be routed to the centralised Call Taking Centre at Dora Nginza Hospital. Ambulance dispatch will continue to occur from existing EMS stations within the Sarah Baartman District, coordinated via the Push-to-Talk radio system to ensure seamless communication and rapid response times. 'This initiative is part of the Department's broader commitment to leveraging technology to strengthen emergency medical response capabilities across the province.' A letter sent to staff members signed by the head of Emergency Medical Services, AK Munilall, said the development was initiated as part of the 'Presidential drive on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). 'This forms part of a broader objective to leverage technology for improved service delivery, operational efficiency and patient response times. 'The system has been fully implemented at the Gqeberha EMS Station and has shown promising outcomes in terms of efficiency, real-time data utilisation, and call handling capacity.' According to the plan sent to EMS personnel, the closure and integration of call centres will happen as follows: Graaff-Reinet, from July 2025; Makhanda, from mid-July and Humansdorp, from the end of July. Twenty call centre communications staff will be transferred to Nelson Mandela Bay. In their motivation presented to staff members, the department said the benefits of the system were that centralised coordination allowed for uniform, real-time tracking and resource allocation across districts; improved call efficiency and data capture reduced delays in emergency responses; automated logging and analytics enabled better oversight and strategic planning. Formal consultation sessions with unions began on 29 May, and it was envisaged that staff would be transferred from Tuesday, 1 July. Outrage and fear Residents in several Karoo towns, however, are outraged at this development and have complained that no one was consulted. They are worried that the call centre will not have enough Afrikaans-speaking staff to help them. A community leader from Aberdeen, who asked not to be named, said that the current personnel had a good knowledge of the area and where, for instance, there were farms with the same name in the same district. 'Or even here by us there are two streets with the same name, but they are not the same street. Now I can just phone 112 and the person answering the phone speaks to me in Afrikaans, and they also know the story with these two streets,' he said. He said the 10777 number did not work. 'We have two direct numbers here for the people at the Graaff-Reinet call centre, and these numbers always work, otherwise we will phone the hospital and the nurses will find out for us. We also have all the drivers' numbers ourselves. We don't want this new system.' 'Even our family in Uitenhage [Kariega] complains that if you want to talk to that call centre in Nelson Mandela Bay, you must be English or Xhosa,' one resident said. 'Those who struggle with English also struggle with getting an ambulance. They don't speak Afrikaans over there. 'And here we know the ambulances well, so if we can't find someone … we phone … the hospital and they can help us or they can tell us where the ambulance is,' he said. Community leader Ricardo Smith from Nieu-Bethesda said they already waited for an ambulance for up to two hours 'if one is available' and they were afraid that the new plan would cause further significant delays. 'We are afraid that people will die with this new system if it delays the ambulances,' he said. He said there had been no consultation with the community. 'When you talk about this to people, they are so angry that they use swear words,' he said. Petition He said they had drawn up a petition to show their disagreement with the new plan and had been gathering signatures. Mandy Deysel from Jansenville agreed. 'It doesn't matter which political party people belong to, everyone is signing the petition because they are very unhappy about this new development,' she said. She said ambulances in Jansenville were already dispatched through the Graaff-Reinet call centre and could take a long time to respond, so they feared that if instructions had to come from Nelson Mandela Bay, it would take much longer. Dr Eileen Carter from the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said the commission was bringing an interdict application against the Eastern Cape Department of Health based on its failure to comply with an investigative report by the SAHRC, published in 2015. The papers in this lawsuit were filed on 16 April 2025. The SAHRC instituted civil proceedings against the department concerning the lack of emergency medical services in the Xhorha Mouth area as well as the department's failure to comply with the SAHRC's 2015 EMS Report. Extensive recommendations were made at the time to ensure the improvement of the service. According to the Notice of Motion, the matter was scheduled to be heard on 20 May 2025 in the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Bhisho. MEC for Health Ntandokazi Capa indicated that she would oppose the SAHRC's case. The case was, however, removed from the roll as the MEC had not yet filed her opposing papers, despite being given 15 days to file them. Carter said the SAHRC was drafting further submissions to the court. According to this answer by Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi, in May, 25% of ambulances in the Eastern Cape are non-operational. But even counting the full fleet of vehicles, there are 0.5 ambulances available for every 10,000 residents. The national standard is 1:10,000.
