The Democratic Alliance (DA) is committed to scrutinize the progress of the investigations into Lydenburg General Hospital in Mpumalanga after several complaints were brought forward to the DA by community members.
During an oversight inspection as protocol allowed led by DA Mpumalanga Leader and Health Spokesperson, Jane Sithole MPL and DA member of NCOP, Sonja Boshoff MP on Tuesday, 19 January 2021, the DA brought various issues to the attention of the hospital’s management and board.
Failure to provide medication, not being able to register deceased family members, loss of patient files and rude doctors attending to patients were some of the issues brought forward. This includes one rape victim which was turned away from the hospital without being examined by a doctor.
In its defence, the hospital management highlighted that there is no shortage in medication but rather that nursing staff could be reluctant to unpack medication provided by the Health Department. Management further committed itself into investigating the other issues.
Lydenburg General Hospital is one of Mpumalanga’s oldest hospitals which was built on 1 November 1927 and provides medical services to a large population of about 101 000 people coming from as far as Tubatse, Sekhunene and Emakhazeni Municipality.
We commend all frontline workers for the hard work they have been doing this far but; we also urge them to be consistent in the services they provide to the people. No resident should be deprived of health services.