No hot water for patients

POLOKWANE – The Pietersburg Provincial Hospital has once again come under fire for poor service delivery to patients.

In one of the latest incidents reflecting alleged poor service delivery, a seven-year-old boy who has been a patient in the hospital for some two weeks, has allegedly had to endure dirty linen and hospital rooms, no hot water and inedible food.

The mother of the boy said she had to go to the extreme of “stealing” water from the urn in the kitchen to give her son a warm bath in the little wash basin provided. She alleged that the rooms were never cleaned and if the patients felt that they needed their rooms cleaned, they could either clean their rooms themselves or have a family member clean their rooms.

“The linen is hardly ever washed, and the only option is to turn the linen over so that it would seem cleaner,” she said.

She further alleged that patients’ families were forced to bring food for the patients as some of the food provided could often not be eaten due patients’ allergies and other medical reasons.

Health spokesperson, Adéle van der Linde said it was imperative that patients or their families who did not receive the service expected, used the correct channels to complain.

“I can confirm that the washing machine was not broken but that the washing schedules were a bit behind on that specific day, due to the huge amounts of linen that is being washed on a daily basis,” Van der Linde said, adding that the personnel who washed the linen sometimes even worked at night to ensure there was an ample supply available for the patients.

Van der Linde further said advised unhappy patients to speak directly with hospital management, who were more than willing to assist.

“The office is on the ground floor adjacent to the elevator. There are also very visible boards showing the offices and how to get there,” Van der Linde said.