Pregnant women forced to sleep on Groblersdal Hospital floor
Groblersdal
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo has requested the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate the horrendous conditions caused by alarming shortage of beds at the Groblersdal Hospital, which is subjecting pregnant women to sleep on the floor.
The party said the discovery was encountered during their recent oversight visit conducted on Monday 5 February.
According to the party, the hospital wards are far too small putting health and well-being of patients at high risk.
Lindy Wilson, DA Spokesperson for Health in Limpopo, said patients at the hospital are crammed into the little space available and many pregnant women are forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor.
“The situation is so dire that even benches are used to accommodate the overflow of patients. The infrastructure is neglected and crumbling and the hospital that caters approximately 200 patients daily has never had additional infrastructure built by the Limpopo Department of Health,” she said.
Wilson indicated that the hospital faces severe challenges due to the overwhelming influx of patients from surrounding areas as far as Mpumalanga, and a large number of patients from accidents on busy roads around the hospital such as the N11 and R25.
“The hospital initially had 22 beds and now it has 53 beds crammed into the same space. The entire hospital only has 2 theatre beds and both are not fully functional. There are severe staff shortages including doctors, nurses, ambulance staff, cleaning and garden staff. The hospital has 11 ambulances but can only make use of two due to staff shortages,” explained Wilson.
She furthered said there is also outdated and broken equipment, insufficient equipment like autoclave machines, incubators and warmers, lack of vital medical supplies and a need for more beds in all of the hospital’s wards.
“The DA will write to Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba to prioritize the revitalisation of this hospital and to address the severe staff, bed and equipment shortages as a matter of urgency. The staff at the facility are dedicated but need to be supported in their efforts to save lives,” she said.
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