CEO Dr Maholwana clarifies ‘chaos’ at Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital
PARKTOWN – The hospital gets funding from both provincial and national governments as well as private donors.
The CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Parktown, Dr Mandisa Maholwana, has allayed concerns that the institution was running short of professional staff.
Maholwana was responding to the latest statement issued by a member of the Gauteng Legislature, Jack Bloom who claimed the hospital was understaffed.
In his statement, Bloom said there were 62 vacant posts out of a staff complement of 401, and claimed there had been difficulties experienced in recruiting paediatric nurses and subspecialists because of a countrywide shortage in these fields.
In her response in an exclusive interview with North Eastern Tribune on 24 February, Moholwana clarified the claim about the vacant posts. “These were projected positions that we had proposed as a hospital to the government when we were making our submissions in the previous financial year plan,” explained Maholwana.
“We could be down to about 40 now as recruitment of staff is ongoing.” She added that this was a challenge in many of the country’s hospitals which have fewer specialised medical practitioners such as paediatrics.
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The CEO said it was normal for medical institutions to recruit staff while they lose others along the way.
Bloom also claimed that Maholwana had said the hospital needed annual funding of R500 million otherwise it would never be able to run at full capacity. In her response, Maholwana said, “This is not a current figure and I believe this was taken out of context as the hospital runs on an operational budget that changes over the years.”
The children’s hospital apparently received funding of about R300 million for the 2019/20 financial year from the government.
She said they also held drives to raise money and have recently started admitting patients of families who were able to pay for the services that they rendered as a hospital which would help to sustain revenue.
Maholwana is encouraging potential funders to open their wallets and support the institution saying it was because they catered for the future leaders and employees of this country who would ensure a brighter future.
Details: Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital 010 133 0600.
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