WATCH: DA leader visits abandoned Kempton Park Hospital
The hospital, built in 1978, was closed by the government in 1996
“Health care in this province is simply not coping. And yet here stands an abandoned hospital for over two decades, full of priceless equipment simply left to rot. And today they lie broken, outdated and worthless.”
The words of DA leader John Steenhuisen, speaking during his visit to Kempton Park Hospital on Monday as part of his Real State of the Nation Tour in Gauteng.
He was joined by DA Gauteng Provincial Leader John Moodey, DA Shadow Minister of Health, Siviwe Gwarube, and DA Gauteng Shadow MEC of Health, Jack Bloom.
The hospital, built in 1978, was closed by the government in 1996 without an explanation and has been vacant ever since.
Steenhuisen said for 23 years the hospital stood abandoned and in limbo, neither condemned to be torn down, nor committed to be refurbished. He further mentioned that during this time, the patient load on the surrounding hospitals, particularly Tembisa and Edenvale, has increased to near breaking point.
“Just last week we learnt the harrowing news that ten infants died at Tembisa Hospital due to klebsiella pneumonia, a bacterial infection which typically occurs where there is overcrowding, understaffing and poor hygiene. And this was not a first for Gauteng. In 2018, six babies died from klebsiella at Thelle Mogoerane Hospital in Vosloorus. These were all preventable deaths.
“Whatever the reasons for closing the hospital, there was plenty of time to devise a plan to refurbish and reopen it. The reality is we don’t need, and nor can we afford, the National Health insurance. The R220-billion we already spend annually on health care should buy us a lot more than we are currently getting, if we just spend it more wisely and keep it out of corrupt hands.
“So, if you still need reminding of why an ANC-run National Health Insurance is a terrible idea, just take a stroll down the decaying corridors of this hospital. If they could not utilise an existing hospital building to ease the pressure on the province’s creaking healthcare, what chance do they have of rolling out and properly managing the NHI?
“The DA’s proposal for health care in SA, what we call the Sizani Universal Healthcare Plan, can achieve far more within the existing budget. This plan is based around a universal subsidy for every eligible person in South Africa, allowing them to choose whether to buy private or public sector coverage with their subsidy,” said Steenhuisen.
