The DA in Limpopo has requested the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate the horrendous conditions we encountered on a recent oversight to Groblersdal Hospital.
The conditions at Groblersdal Hospital, puts the health and well-being of patients at risk. The hospital is far too small and maternity patients at the hospital are crammed into the little space available and many pregnant women are forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor. The situation is so dire that even benches are used to accommodate the overflow of patients.
The infrastructure is neglected and crumbling, and the hospital that caters to approximately 200 patients daily has never had additional infrastructure built by the Limpopo Department of Health. See pictures here, here and here.
The hospital faces severe challenges due to the overwhelming influx of patients from surrounding areas as far as Mpumalanga, and a large number of patients from accidents on busy roads around the hospital such as the N11 and R25. The hospital initially had 22 beds and now it has 53 beds crammed into the same space. The entire hospital only has 2 theatre beds and both are not fully functional.
There are severe staff shortages including doctors, nurses, ambulance staff, cleaning and garden staff. The hospital has 11 ambulances but can only make use of two due to staff shortages.
There is also outdated and broken equipment, insufficient equipment like autoclave machines, incubators and warmers, lack of vital medical supplies and a need for more beds in all of the hospital’s wards.
The DA will write to MEC Phophi Ramathuba to prioritise the revitalisation of this hospital and to address the severe staff, bed and equipment shortages as a matter of urgency. The staff at the facility are dedicated but need to be supported in their efforts to save lives.