By Doreen Premdev
The beleaguered Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Phoenix has been hit by a sex-for-jobs scandal.
Democratic Alliance MPL George Mari told the Tribune Herald that apart from the recent allegations of staff negligence, fraud, corruption and nepotism, the latest cause for concern was a report that certain members of the hospital management had bartered with employees for better positions in return for sex.
Mari also alleged that people were known to have paid up to R5 000 to secure jobs at the hospital.
| 'Staff appear to take their tea and lunch breaks together' |
The hospital has come in for strong criticism after three cases of alleged staff negligence in the past month, the first two following the deaths of a child and a woman.
Newly appointed Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo visited the hospital on Thursday and said a team of officials would investigate the allegations of negligence, nepotism, fraud and corruption, and also look into claims of "sex for jobs" and payment of bribes to secure employment.
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Mari said he had moved a motion in the legislature on Tuesday, calling for the MEC to investigate the number of complaints at the hospital.
"As a member of the legislature and of the Phoenix community, I feel compelled to warn the minister of the very serious allegations which have been levelled against hospital management," he said.
Mari said some members of staff had accused others of using "sex for jobs" and involving prospective staff in a scam where interviewees were made to pay R5 000 to secure positions.
| 'People are afraid to go here because they don't want to die' |
He said there had also been complaints that long-serving staff were being overlooked when it came to promotion. He added that the hospital was also being affected by high absenteeism.
"Staff appear to take their tea and lunch breaks together, rather than staggering them, leaving patients with insufficient staff to care for them.
"Gandhi hospital is the only state hospital in Phoenix, but people are afraid to go here because they don't want to die.
"This hospital has to provide a service to the community, but it is failing dismally, and something has to be done about it. We hope Dhlomo will get to the bottom of what is going on."
But hospital management say the root of the problem lies in the fact that the hospital is understaffed and overcrowded.
The hospital has 93 posts for doctors and 45 are filled. Only nine of the 30 posts for pharmacist are filled and 184 of the 188 nursing posts are filled. The total outpatient head-count for 2008-09 was 200 682, while the number of babies delivered during this period was 7 250.
Replying to questions from the Tribune Herald this week, the hospital's chief executive officer, Thamela Ngcobo, said the latest incidents at the hospital had resulted in investigations by the department.
She said that if the outcome confirmed any staff negligence, appropriate action would be taken.
"A project team of skilled professionals both from within and outside the hospital has been appointed to conduct an objective assessment into the circumstances that have led to the recent adverse health events in the maternity section.
"The report will include their findings in relation to the workload, skills of staff, and current systems available in dealing with adverse health events," Ngcobo said.
"Hospital management has devised a hospital image improvement plan, which was finalised in the strategic planning session that took place on May 13. This plan is in the process of implementation.
"Hospital management are working hand in hand with the hospital board in looking into this matter.
"Requests have been sent to the department seeking a review of the current staff establishment so that the nurse/patient ratio can be improved."
Ngcobo said 35 percent of the deliveries were caesarean sections, and about eight midwives were allocated to the labour ward per shift. The hospital had 408 beds, 20 of which were in the labour ward.
"Doctors and nurses undergo training, and before they are employed they are required to produce a certificate from a professional registration body such as the HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa) or the SANC (South African Nursing Council) confirming that they are duly qualified to do the job," Ngcobo said.
"There are also various programmes in the form of in-service education, continuing education, peer reviews and clinical governance programmes which are also aimed at ensuring that professionals are trained on a continuous basis and adverse health events are prevented at all costs."
- This article was originally published on page 1 of Tribune on May 17, 2009
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