OFM News reports that the lack of infrastructure development and high vacancy rates at a number of healthcare facilities in the Free State are amongst some of the key issues that needs to be addressed. This is according to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) following their three-day oversight visit to five hospitals including the Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital.

Accompanying the chairperson of the Commission, Bongani Majola, during the provincial oversight visit, Provincial Manager Thabang Kheswa confirmed they have visited various healthcare facilities in the Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, Thaba Nchu and Welkom areas and will soon be compiling a report with corrective measures that the MEC for Health and Premier Sisi Ntombela will have to implement. Kheswa alludes that structural challenges at the Pelonomi Hospital’s maternity ward, which has been under construction for over five years, coupled with the leakages in casualty are amongst some their greatest concerns.

“At Pelonomi we found structural challenges there, the buildings are very old. There has been construction at Pelonomi that is taking forever, especially at the maternity ward. There are also a number of leakages, including in casualty, which has recently been renovated. At Moroka the structure is also very old and imposes a lot of health risks for the people. There are also a number of vacant positions not being filled. So, those are some of the few issues we are picking up that affect the right to health as stipulated in the constitution,” explained Kheswa.

The three-day inspections at various health facilities in the province come amidst speculations that South Africans to be repatriated from China will be quarantined in the Free State.

It is suspected that the Black Mountain Hotel, a few kilometres outside Thaba Nchu, and the Tempe Military Base in Bloemfontein are being scouted as two possible locations where 151 South Africans will be quarantined for 21 days after being repatriated from Wuhan in the Hubei province.

During a media briefing regarding the Coronavirus on Sunday, Health Department’s Acting Director-General, Dr Anban Pillay, alongside Minister Zweli Mkhize, rubbished claims that the Pelonomi Hospital in the Free State and the Klerksdorp Hospital in the North West are not capacitated to deal with any Coronavirus eventualities, should there be an outbreak once South Africans living in China are repatriated.

Pillay outlined that he has been to both provinces for assessments and can assure the public that the hospitals are fully ready, capacitated with adequate equipment and necessary resources.

He has further ascertained that there were 147 South Africans living in Wuhan City who had already indicated that they would like to be repatriated. Recent reports indicate that this number has since increased to 151.

Although, both Pillay and Mkhize could not reveal where those repatriated will be landing nor where they will be quarantined, Mkhize assured the public that the military will decide on that and on arrival all quarantine members will be tested and that there will be screening done at predetermined intervals.

Mkhize further highlighted that legal action will be taken against any individual that goes against the stipulated regulations in relation to the quarantine.

OFM News