More troubles at Thelle Mogoerane Hospital
The Kathorus MAIL reported about Thelle Mogoerane Hospital mismanagement and the poor staff attitude to patients that saw the members of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) demanding a sit-in with the hospital management, in its November 8 issue.
During that sit-in, patients who received bad treatment from the hospital staff were invited to tell their stories.
This time the staff members at the troubled hospital in Vosloorus have raised questions about the disproportionate amount of money spent on training for hospital CEO Nomonde Mqhayi-Mbambo.
Mqhayi-Mbambo is studying for a one-year Post-Graduate Diploma in Health Management at the University of Cape Town (UCT) that was organised by the Gauteng Health Department.
Jack Bloom the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC said that after hearing the cry from the hospital staff, they immediately contacted the MEC of health in Gauteng Gwen Ramokgopa to hear how much she knew about the issue.
Bloom said Ramokgopa sent a written response to the DA office. The report read:
“R95 715 has been spent on training for the CEO in the last two years, while only R70 360 was spent on all other hospital staff in that period of time.
“It is surely wrong that more than half of the hospital’s training budget goes to one person,” said the report.
Bloom also said in the report the MEC stated that she appreciated the value of the extra qualifications for a hospital CEO. “But it is equally important that other staff members can also upgrade themselves.” said report.
The report further stated that: “The UCT course costs R38 400, so R57 000 is spent on travel and accommodation costs for the four residential modules of eight days each. This is excessive as there are high-quality health courses on offer at Gauteng universities.”
In addition Bloom said he had visited this hospital twice in the past few weeks.
“I know that many staff members are unhappy with the hospital management for a variety of reasons.
“Their grievances need to be addressed – including the lack of training which would assist in coping with the large increase in patients at this hospital,” said Bloom.
There seemed to be some confusion in the story as Philani Mhlungu who works at the communication department at the hospital had something different to say. This is what he had to say in response:
“The story about mismanagement of hospital training funds and half of the budget going to the chief executive officers’ studies is not true.
“Chief executive officer’s studies are paid by head office and the hospital is responsible for transport costs,” Mhlungu told Kathorus MAIL.
He added that the hospital had approved training for 140 staff members. They will be trained in the following areas: Midwifery, bridging course, four-year nursing diploma, post basic nursing, clinical governance, practice improvement and occupational health and safety.
One of the dissatisfied staff members who wanted to comment in the condition of anonymity, said the crisis in the hospital could be easily managed.
“Staff members need special training so they can cope with the pressure of dealing with the number of patients that is growing every day.
“The crisis that is in the hospital could have been avoided by just giving staff members proper training. Pity that it is impossible as the money meant for their training benefits only one person,” said the source.
