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HomeSouth AfricaSAMA slams surprise parliamentary visit to Khayelitsha Hospital

SAMA slams surprise parliamentary visit to Khayelitsha Hospital

Parliament's select committee on petitions and executive undertakings has come under fire from the SA Medical Association (SAMA) for conducting an unannounced visit to the Khayelitsha District Hospital. According to a Cape Times report, the association has expressed deep concern following the committee’s meeting, saying it was “unacceptable, unethical and undemocratic”.

The committee’s visit almost two weeks ago revealed staff shortages caused by firing of senior staff members, and patients slumped in chairs almost 24 hours after being admitted. On the committee’s walkabout during the visit, it said it witnessed a number of patients lying on the floor and a large number of patients slumped in chairs, having been there since noon the previous day. The committee said the hospital was facing a severe shortage of beds.

The report says the death of Khayelitsha resident Tamara Fuzane, after allegedly being assaulted by staff at the hospital three years ago, prompted the committee’s unannounced visit at the facility. The committee was yet to table its report in relation to Fuzane’s complaint.

Dumisani Ximbi had said that the hospital was “failing the people of Khayelitsha”. But, the report says, SAMA hit back by saying the visit “turned into a brutal attack on the dignity of staff and patients”. “This is totally unacceptable. Patients have the right to confidentiality and privacy; this right was violated by the committee. Similarly, the rights of healthcare workers were also violated when they were subjected to gross harassment by committee members,” said SAMA chair Dr Mzukisi Grootboom.

He said such visits “must follow process and procedure with due regard to the facility, its staff and patients”. “What ensued was wholly unacceptable, unethical and undemocratic,” he said.

Grootboom is quoted in the report as saying that SAMA would seek urgent clarification from the office of the Speaker of Parliament on what steps would be taken “to ensure this never happens again”.

Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said: “What we do not agree with is the manner in which the oversight visit to Khayelitsha Hospital was conducted. The mandate for this visit evidently was not clear and was seen as a disruption in service."

 

SAMA says it supports oversight visits to public facilities as they strengthen democratic accountability. Eyewitness News quotes SAMA vice chair Mark Sonderup as saying, however, that the recent visit turned into an attack on the dignity of staff and patients.

“This committee is from a non-health portfolio. They caused a significant commotion. They demanded to see the CEO. They arrived unannounced and started badgering staff.” Sonderup says access to clinical areas where patients are treated should occur together with the attending doctor and with permission from patients.

The report says the committee has denied being confrontational with staff during the visit, adding that the medical employees spoke freely about the issues facing the hospital.

[link url="https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/news/mps-unannounced-visit-to-hospital-unethical-14594211"]Cape Times report[/link]
[link url="http://ewn.co.za/2018/04/23/concern-after-parly-committee-makes-unannounced-visit-at-ct-hospital"]Eyewitness News report[/link]

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