The Free State Department of Health has hastened to address overcrowding at the Pelonomi Regional Hospital’s maternity ward.
The department states the reason for the influx is the referral of pregnant women from the National District Hospital, which is still temporarily closed after a fire destroyed sections of the facility on 7 July.
The hospital remains closed due to the ongoing investigations into the devastating fire, the goal of which includes to establish the cause thereof and which extends to the safety procedures administered by the hospital.
The fire damaged three sections of the hospital: ward 3, for paediatrics; ward 5, which is classified as a mixed ward; and ward 7, for male patients.
Mondli Mvambi, spokesperson for the provincial health department, said the activation of stringent interventions to alleviate the situation at Pelonomi’s maternity ward became effective on 8 August.
Interventions entail the referral of patients with critical cases to the Albert Nzula District Hospital, in Trompsburg, and the Universitas Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein.
Mvambi said arrangements being made for the relief offered at Albert Nzula included the securing of clinicians to support the referral of caesarean section (C-section) patients.
The activation of measures followed an assessment by department officials in the wake of an outcry by Pelonomi staff regarding their unbearable workload.
Besides undue pressure, the staff lamented the conditions expectant mothers had to contend with and the high risk to their health.
On the night of 7 August, BloemExpress observed a situation where the maternity ward was cramped, and staff on night duty had trouble with the allocation of beds.
They lamented the pressure brought about by the high influx of expectant women, crippling their ability to provide antenatal and postnatal care.
Evidence of the situation was made clear by the sight of pregnant women sitting on benches for hours – patiently waiting to be attended to. Some of them resorted to sleeping or sitting on the floor.
The situation has reportedly improved following the department’s invention, amid staff still lamenting the shortage in personnel. The ward reportedly has five sisters and three nurses working night duty to provide service to patients.
Monyatso Mahlatsi, newly appointed MEC for Health in the Free State, announced during the presentation of his maiden budget speech on Thursday, 15 August, that efforts were underway to ensure the National District Hospital would soon be fully operational. Currently, the only operational sections are the gateway clinic, pharmacy, outpatient department, and the ophthalmology (eye) clinic.
