“They should have fired the KZN Health MEC, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo a long time ago,” said outspoken DA spokesman on Health in the Province, Dr Imran Keeka.
Dr Keeka was making an oversight visit to the hospita following numerous complaints of ‘poor service, rude staff and other problems’.
However, Dr Keeka commented that he had seen ‘far worse hospitals in the Province’.
“My first impression was it was very clean and the pharmacy had just received a fresh supply of medicines that were previously either in short supply or not in stock.
“Waiting times were not exaggerated. In the Out Patients Department [OPD] the average waiting time is between 1 to 1.5 hours and the waiting time at the pharmacy is around 15 minutes.”

LETTER – Concern over lack of water at Dundee Hospital
Asked if he addressed claims of ‘rude staff leaving patients to their own devices’, Dr Keeka said: “I constantly receive complaints about rude staff members. This was sharply raised with the hospital’s management team. Patient’s rights and dignity, as well as the application of the Batho Pele principles, are of paramount importance. I also emphasised the fact that hospital staff are there to serve citizens and not there to delay the delivery of such essential services by fiddling with their cell phones.”

He said he had brought up the complaint of no hot water being available at the hospital and said he was told that there were no artisans to attend to the problem. “

He told the Courier that his investigation revealed that the hospital is well managed financially, has enough diesel to cope with load-shedding and the medical equipment seemed to be functional.
“The staff and management team appear dedicated to ensuring the best possible care for users of the hospital despite the trying conditions that affect all facilities. Regard for this requires expression; notwithstanding that there may be areas of want that citizens may point out.”
“The Dundee Hospital is not immune to these pressures and disease but it is also not as overtly symptomatic as others in KZN. This, because it is not such a busy facility. This hospital currently functions with a bed occupancy rate of 42%.”
He said he had brought up the complaint of no hot water being available at the hospital and said he was told that there were no artisans to attend to the problem. “