The weakened health services in the North West are becoming a serious problem, and if urgent attention is not given, health service delivery can end altogether.
Mr. Hannes Schutte, FF Plus member of the North West Provincial Legislature, made certain disclosures.
He pointed out that the Public Service Commissioner (PSC) earlier this month reported to the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs that hospital and clinic services are appalling in North West.
The sewage treatment plant near the three-year-old Moses Kotane Hospital does not work. No maintenance of the sewage plant is done. This creates a significant health risk for patients and staff.
There is no running clean water in some clinics, while pit toilets are still in use.
Long waiting times for ambulances are the order of the day. At Ventersdorp Hospital, it varies between two and three hours while in the remote areas of Rustenburg and Brits up to four hours.
Excellent quality equipment is not in working order because there is no money for repairs.
The lack of professional staff (doctors and nurses) places a heavy burden on available persons who need to work long hours. Lack of ethics and discipline means that patients are not adequately taken care of.
Read the original article in Afrikaans on Die Vryburger
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