South African hospitals in the poorest corners of the country have become a death trap as the health system is heading for a failure. A week long investigation by the BBC revealed horrible environments that patients are living in.
Nurses at Eastern Cape hospitals have been forced to work as cleaners as ancillary staff has gone on strike or they themselves are sick with the coronavirus. There are also reports of unborn babies dying due to lack o care and overcrowding.
Broken Drainage system in Eastern Cape Hospitals
With unions and management are fighting over employee welfare, one doctor from a hospital in the Eastern Cape described the situation as “an epic failure of a deeply corrupt system”. Another described the situation ans ‘desperate’ and believed the health department is facing a serious ‘institution burn-out’ due to failure of strategic management.
Medics terrified to work in Eastern Cape hospitals
Medics are reportedly fearful of working in Eastern Cape hospitals. So dire is the situation that health care givers are choosing to go jobless than to work in hospitals. Health workers are also resigning en-masse.
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Rats feeding on red waste
Rats have been seen feeding on blood and hospital waste spilling from the broken drainage at Livingstone Hospital, one of the major designated Covid-19 facilities in the province.
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‘Mothers and babies dying’
Nursing staff have been horrified by scenes that have resulted in the death of infants and pregnant mothers due to overcrowding at Port Elizabeth’s Dora Nginza Hospital. The hospital is overwhelmed by patients.
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The development comes as Preeisdent Cyril Ramaphosa warned ‘the storm is upon us’ as he tightened lockdown restrictions which will further damage the ailing economy.
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