THE Uitenhage Provincial Hospital has been severely underfunded, because the Department of Health has incorrectly allocated funds to it as a district hospital, when it is, in fact, officially gazetted as a regional hospital.
This is according to Jane Cowley, shadow MEC for Health in the Eastern Cape, who in a statement issued on Sunday said, “This is an unnecessary bureaucratic nightmare in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Wards stand empty at Uitenhage Provincial Hospital, while other hospitals across the metro have become overcrowded battlegrounds against the disease.
“The hospital is supposed to offer general specialist services and a platform for training and research, but they are only receiving the budget and the staff organogram of a district hospital, which is far smaller and offers fewer services.
“This came to light following an oversight inspection at the hospital earlier last week, which revealed that the hospital is severely understaffed and underfunded. This is, quite simply put, unlawful,” said Cowley.
This facility, if it were properly staffed and funded according to its status as a regional hospital, could be relieving some of the immense pressure that other state hospitals in the Metro are currently under. Uitenhage Provincial Hospital currently has a ward which is empty and available to operate as a Covid-19 ward, but this is impossible with the reduced staff component.
Vacant funded posts at the hospital remain unfilled, with interviews to fill these posts still taking place, when the department was alerted to the urgency of filling these posts by epidemiologists in March already.
A further challenge is the lack of vitally important equipment, which would allow more effective treatment of patients, as well as the constant struggle of the medical personnel to secure sufficient PPE.
Prompt action has never been this crucial
It has become more and more apparent that, while the Department of Health insists that there is sufficient PPE in the province, the supply chain is still not working effectively.
Cowley said she has written to Health MEC, Sindiswe Gomba, to request that the budget and organogram for Uitenhage Provincial Hospital be adjusted immediately to reflect their status as a regional hospital, in order to comply with the law. This will allow the facility to contribute far more significantly in the fight against Covid-19.
“I will further request that a dedicated committee be established immediately to prioritise recruitment so that posts can be filled in hours, not over several months. Prompt action has never been this crucial, as it will literally save lives,” said Cowley.
