Nursing overload at St Francis Hospital
Following up on phone calls from concerned community members, the IFP conducted an unannounced oversight visit at the hospital
THE IFP is demanding answers from KZN MEC of Health, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, as to why the St Francis Hospital in Mahlabathini is being under-utilised.
Following up on phone calls from concerned community members, the IFP conducted an unannounced oversight visit at the hospital.
According to the IFP the team found a total of 33 nurses doing duty at the hospital, but only three general patients and six mentally challenged patients in the wards.
It is believed that the district office has removed all the equipment and transferred it to Nkonjeni Hospital, while there are apparently no doctors or ambulances available.
Unused medicine stock was found in the hospital’s pharmacy.
The IFP says while many hospitals are overcrowded, it makes no sense to them that a government facility has virtually no patients and equipment while the nurses still receive monthly salaries.
‘If there is an oversupply, we would expect the provincial health MEC to relocate the nurses to where they are needed.
‘Nurses are not admitting patients because there are no doctors.
‘Doctors are living in doctors’ quarters at St Francis Hospital, but they are not willing to assist the few patients, claiming they are employed by Nkonjeni Hospital, not by St Francis Hospital.’
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