Pretoria - Patients at the George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa, near Pretoria, are on a restricted diet because of supply problems, the DA said on Monday.
“They rarely get meat, fruit, or vegetables, and there is no sugar. Bread is often short,” DA Gauteng health spokesman Jack Bloom said in a statement.
He said unpaid suppliers were refusing to deliver certain foods.
Hospital spokeswoman Nolo Bashe acknowledged there were problems with deliveries.
“The normal patient diet plan was not affected (even) though we had no bread delivery for three days and fruit for a week... deliveries have since resumed,” Bashe said in an e-mail.
Bloom described the situation as unsatisfactory.
“Some patients who should get a special diet because of their medical condition are only getting whatever food is available.”
Nashe said sufficient substitutions were made in such cases.
“Special diets were not compromised. Diabetic patients received Diasip sip feed as a snack instead of the normal sandwich or fruit.” - Sapa