Limpopo Department of Health has been forced to evacuate all inpatients admitted at Elim Hospital in Vhembe District with immediate effect. They are being taken to nearby facilities until further notice.
This is as a result of closure of all access roads to the hospital due to a community protest. It has left all healthcare workers and outpatients for the second day failing to access the hospital.
CURRENT SITUATION AT ELIM HOSPITAL
“The situation has impacted negatively on the day to day running of the hospital. Most importantly on patient care leaving them at risk,” the department said in a statement.
“Today is the second day that the hospital is mended by our medical interns without any supervision of medical officers. It is only our interns who resides within the hospital premises the rest of medical officers can’t access the hospital. Nursing services has been highly compromised wherein certain nurses out of commitment volunteered not to knock off to avoid leaving patients unattended.”
MEC RAMATHUBA VISIT
The MEC did visit the hospital this morning to assess the situation and support the staff. Unfortunately, she couldn’t access the hospital either hence to avoid any regrets. The department is forced to work with the police to evacuate all the patients and temporarily close the hospital until such time the situation is stable.
“As the department, we respect the democratic rights of every citizen to protest whenever they are not satisfied,” said MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba.
“However, we also plead that it must not be done at the expense of right to life of others. Health is an essential service and people who depend on Elim Hospital has no other choice except Elim. The blockade of staff members. EMS and PTT services to access the hospital will not only deny those who are outside seeking healthcare.
“But those who are admitted and not being attended to can also lose their lives. We are making a call to the organisers to allow the EMS personnel. Healthcare workers to have unlimited access in every area as their duty is to save lives. Community members who have patients at Elim Hospital are urged to call the hospital CLO to check where their patients have been evacuated to,” Ramathuba.
