A damning human rights probe exposing broken plumbing, chronic hot water shortages, and doorless toilets at an Mbombela hospital has prompted the Mpumalanga Department of Health to spring into (belated) action to effect some urgent repairs, reports Lowvelder.
The department has now deployed full-time artisans to Rob Ferreira Hospital to fix plumbing failures and restore hot water – a month after the state of the facility was formally documented during the Human Rights Commission (HRC) oversight inspection on 15 June.
Detailing the conditions, HRC provincial manager Eric Mokonyama said investigators found broken toilets with no doors, continuously running taps, wards completely without any hot water – which staff said had been a problem for years – while mothers in maternity wards were forced to leave their newborn babies unattended simply to find a working toilet.
Compounding these issues, there was a major shortage of blankets, forcing families to bring their own bedding from home.
Department prioritises plumbing
Department of Health spokesperson Chris Nobela confirmed that repair work had already begun, and that the restoration of hot water and plumbing had been prioritised.
To ensure long-term maintenance, two full-time artisans – a plumber and an electrician – have been deployed to the hospital alongside on-site personnel from the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, he added.
Asked about the delays in tackling the deteriorating conditions, Nobela did not offer a direct explanation, focusing instead on the corrective steps already taken. He also contested claims regarding a severe linen shortage, saying the hospital was adequately stocked and that patients who bring their own bedding do so by choice.
“I must also request members of the public to report anything that is broken to the hospital, and it will be attended to,” Nobela said. “If patients believe they have been mistreated or did not receive the required services, they should file formal complaints, and these will be dealt with. We cannot respond to allegations made on social media.”
HRC to monitor progress
The HRC’s Mokonyama expressed hope that the maintenance drive would be sustained beyond the current round of quick fixes.
“The commission will be monitoring the repairs …Patients deserve to receive healthcare in an environment that protects their dignity,” he said.
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Rob Ferreira Hospital ‘has no hot water, no linen’, oversight visit finds
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