The Portfolio Committee on Health has called for the upgrading of infrastructure and other resources at Tembisa Tertiary Hospital.
The committee made the call during an oversight visit to the hospital on Saturday. The visit follows the damning report released recently by the Health Ombudsman, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, on the death of Shonisani Lethole, who died at Tembisa Tertiary Hospital.
The committee had previously visited the hospital to check its state of readiness following the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020.
Committee chairperson, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, said during the visit in 2020, the committee was satisfied with the hospital’s preparedness for the pandemic.
However, after Saturday’s visit, the committee said Ekurhuleni is a big metro that serves a large population from the surrounding community.
Dhlomo said much more work needs to be done to support the institution, which was made a tertiary hospital in 2012.
“The resources in terms of infrastructure, staffing and equipment, which needed to be upgraded in order to meet the new grade, were not upgraded. They need to be upgraded as the starting point to resolve problems at the hospital,” Dhlomo said
The committee is concerned at poor record keeping at the hospital, and told the hospital management that poor record keeping can never be defended.
“Clinical record keeping has to be kept properly for proper handover and proper management of patients. Furthermore, management and supervision of junior healthcare professionals must be strengthened and gaps need to be adequately addressed,” Dhlomo said.
The oversight visit will assist the committee to prepare itself for the upcoming meeting with the Gauteng Health MEC, Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, which is scheduled to take place this Wednesday.
“We have to continue to adhere to… the non-negotiables in health [care]. Some of the issues are covered in the presidential health compact and that must be… done… by the department.
“We will hold the department [accountable] on things that it pronounced on, and that it [must] adhere to,” Dhlomo said. – SAnews.gov.za
