Eastern Free State residents in Qwa-Qwa say the Mofumahadi Manapo Hospital, declared a National Health Insurance (NHI) pilot by former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, was “a publicity stunt”, and “people’s needs have been forgotten”.
Phuthaditjhaba residents said when Mkhize made the announcement, he promised them specialists would be appointed for various ailments and conditions. However, patients still travel to Bethlehem’s Dihlabeng District Hospital or others in Bloemfontein, as they say nothing has changed in the 750-bed hospital, reports Health-e News.
People’s needs ‘forgotten’
One resident, Teboho Mokoloko, said the National Department of Health has not prioritised people’s needs or allowed them to benefit from the NHI as the Bill states.
“We were taken for fools when the Minister announced how NHI piloting will benefit us. The hospital still has doctors who work at Manapo, Dihlabeng and Elizabeth Ross,” he said.
Another resident said she still goes to private practitioners for medical attention. “There’s nothing good about the hospital here. There are far too many patients for the number of staff available. I hope government brings the specialists it has promised us.”
Staff speak out
A male nurse at the hospital said they are understaffed and many are fulfilling roles for which they are not being paid.
“The NHI won’t succeed with short-staffed departments. Most of us, in each department, are fewer than four during each shift and most are clerks or cleaners.
“The government has not hired more staff and during COVID-19, people who were temporarily employed, have been released.”
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) and the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) did not respond to questions, but Free State Health MEC Montsheng Tsiu said the specialist issue had been attended to.
“Manapo has required specialists in the medical field. When some doctors aren’t sure of some illnesses, they transfer the patient to other facilities that have the required equipment,” she said.
She added that the government is putting measures in place to ensure hospitals have the equipment they need.
“We have equipment in our hospitals. However, a district hospital cannot have what national or tertiary hospitals have. With Mofumahadi Manapo being part of the NHI, it will be beefed up to meet requirements. Remember that after this one, others will follow suit,” she said.
The hospital is one of two in the area and the biggest in the region. Having been declared a pilot for NHI, locals hoped to receive services equivalent to those at private institutions.
Health-e News article – NHI pilot hospital: ‘Nothing but a publicity stunt’ (Open access)
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