WC Health MEC to implement more developmental actions on hospitals

Oscar Thomas
07 March 2015

Western Cape MEC of Health Nomafrench Mbombo has raised her concerns regarding the state of the Hederlberg.

This as she made an unannounced visit to the hospital this week were she received several complaints from the public about the poor service they receive.

MEC Mbombo said part of her vision for health in the province is to ensure that we improve patient experience in the public health system.

Ministerial Spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube says in 2014 alone the head count there increased by twenty-percent, inpatient increased by twenty-five percent, and outpatient visits increased by twenty-percent and currently the hospital does not have the capacity to admit such a large patient number.

MEC Mbombo said they will be monitoring the hospital to ensure that the challenges it is facing can be addressed in the best possible way.

The department has identified various short, medium and long term initiatives that would help alleviate the pressures at the hospital.

Ministerial Spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube says “one of the things we started to do is renovations of the existing emergency centre.

We believe the most effective way of alleviating the pressure in t that bottle neck is an addition of an extra forcing bed, overnight ward that will be installed in the hospital by the end of this year.

Gwarube added that “we will also be making sure that we are constructing a new community health care centre in the area to service areas in and around Hederlberg so that we can start alleviating the pressure in the hospital.