Rob not up to PSC standards
Some of the main concerns are the high staff vacancy rate, inadequate equipment, overcapacity in the neonatal ward as well as a shortage of medicine in the pharmacy.
MBOMBELA – After months of reporting problems at Rob Ferreira Hospital, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has revealed a series of concerns which have still not been addressed.
Members of the commission were in the city earlier this week to reveal their findings after several visits to the hospital late last year. Some of the main concerns are the high staff vacancy rate, inadequate equipment, overcapacity in the neonatal ward as well as a shortage of medicine in the pharmacy.
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The findings showed a huge lack of medical staff as 30 per cent of the positions available were vacant. “The hospital will have to make a plan to fill these available positions as soon as possible,” a member of the PSC said.
When the positions are filled with adequate doctors and nurses, the overall standard and capacity of medical care will improve significantly.
Among the findings was a shocking discovery – only half of the fridges in the mortuary were fully functional. “Our inspections showed that one fridge’s door handle was broken, preventing it from sealing properly and thus it does not cool down. This is a serious concern, because it is hot in the mortuary and the fridges are only carrying half of their capacity.”
Infrastructure such as telephones, working air conditioning and fridges in the mortuary will have to be attended to as matters of urgency.
In the neonatal ward, each incubator is supposed to be at least two-and-a-half metres apart. However, the PSC found that the ward is carrying 45 per cent more than its capacity.
There are too many incubators and not enough distance between them. The ward will have to cut down on the number of incubators, or remodel so all the necessary incubators can fit in on a healthy standard.
The overwhelming lack of equipment in the dentistry department has also surfaced as a major issue. The hospital will have to adjust its current budget so it can increase its intake on dental equipment to fit the needs of the community.
The PSC didn’t give a time frame in which the changes needed to be implemented, but has advised the departments of health as well as public works, roads and transport to attend to the issues as soon as possible.
