Durban — Wentworth community members took to the streets in demand of better treatment towards patients at Wentworth Hospital in Durban, on Tuesday.
The crowd chanted outside the hospital, some carried placards calling for the hospital healthcare workers to ‘remember their oath’.
This was after problems at the hospital were brought to the fore following an outcry from patients and an unannounced visit by DA member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Dr Imran Keeka, recently.
Patients from surrounding communities of the Bluff, Merebank and Wentworth have complained about poor service at the hospital for years.
The newly formed Wentworth Hospital Committee (WHC) said enough is enough and conducted a peaceful march to the hospital to hand over a memorandum to hospital CEO Tiny Khanyile.
Newly elected WHC member, Olivia Jones told the Daily News that the community met last month as they were frustrated with the service from staff at Wentworth Hospital.
“During the meeting, many horror stories were told. Upon forming the committee the next day (August 22, 2024), the first email was sent to the acting CEO with all department heads copied, requesting a meeting. It was not acknowledged. It was followed up by another email two days later.”
She said the WHC did not receive feedback from the hospital. Jones added that the committee was advised to contact the two eThekwini ward councillors for them to set up a meeting with the hospital management team.
Allan Holmes said he joined the protest because of the dire situation where he had heard of a couple of people dying without getting the right medical attention, including his friend who died months ago after he was hit with a brick on the head and was sent back home and died from internal bleeding.
“There is a lot of pain. Yesterday, my neighbour refused to be taken to the hospital even though she is very sick because she is afraid of dying at the hospital without being attended to,” he said.
He said even the infrastructure is rotten from the gate to the building. However, he said he would wait for a response from the CEO within two days.
Last month, Keeka, the DA KZN spokesperson on health, visited the hospital to identify key issues, specifically the outpatient department – both acute and chronic – along with the casualty and pharmacy areas.
Keeka said that at the time of visiting, waiting times were so bad that patients who arrived at 7am, were waiting until 4pm only to be told to go home and come back the next day.
“On return, they would join an overflow queue, only to be seen to and finally leave the hospital in the afternoon. In other words, it would take one and a half days to simply see a healthcare professional and to get medicines,” Keeka said.
After his interactions with queuing patients, Keeka established that hospital staff were cordial to them and in as much as they waited long hours, there was general satisfaction with care levels. But, there were complaints about rude security and some healthcare staff.
KZN Health’s Nathi Olifant told the Daily News that the media query has been escalated, however, there has not been any further information until the time of publishing.
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Daily News