Healthcare workers at Bethesda Hospital in the village of Ubombo, about four hours from Durban, have slammed conditions at the facility after enduring five years of water problems, unhygienic conditions, drug shortages and shoddy service delivery.
The Public Servants Association (PSA) said the hospital, which was founded in 1937 by the Methodist Church and is now run by the provincial government, serves one of the country’s poorest and sickest communities, but frequently has no water for days on end.
The region has the most malnutrition cases, highest malaria prevalence rate and an HIV prevalence rate of 41%, which tops the national average of 37%, according to a 2020 report from the Department of Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs.
One doctor told News24 the hospital seldom had water, leading to poor hygiene and lack of sanitation, posing a great health risk to patients and employees – and also contributing to poor staff retention.
He said it was rare to find safe drinking water in the area, with staff often having to drive long distances to buy bottles of water in bulk, and unable to perform their duties in line with standards set for healthcare workers.
Before surgery, doctors and nurses would have to scrub themselves with bottled water.
Another said patients arrived seeking treatment for one condition but ended up with diarrhoea.
“We mostly use water from water tankers, and there are fears this water may not be safe,” she said.
PSA’s KZN manager Mlungisi Ndlovu said they were going to write to the Human Rights Commission as well as Cabinet Ministers about the situation at Bethesda Hospital.
"This situation has been going on for over five years," he said. “Our members … have been raising this issue with hospital management for some time but nothing has been done.”
Ndlovu, who said the provincial Health Department needed to do a risk assessment associated with the poor water supply in the district and present a lasting solution to all affected parties, was also scathing of KZN Health HOD Dr Sandile Tshabalala.
“If Dr Tshabalala cannot resolve this, then his position must be reviewed,” he said.
Compounding the list of complaints were frequent medical stockouts, and a shortage of ambulances, added the union, with vehicles not serviced regularly and breakdowns not repaired.
The KZN Health Department failed to respond to questions from News24.
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