DURBAN – The KwaZulu-Natal legislature health portfolio committee rated the Inkosi Chief Albert Luthuli Central Hospital as the best in operational services during an oversight visit on Wednesday.
Committee chairperson Nomakiki Majola said the purpose of the impromptu visit was to observe the daily operations of the hospital.
"We have a duty as the portfolio committee for health to conduct inspections in order to fully understand hospital operations. Hospital management was very welcoming, professional, and allowed us to scrutinise parts of the hospital, especially the theatres. We are satisfied that the Albert Luthuli Hospital is the best in KwaZulu-Natal in operations," Majola said.
Majola added that the visit was to observe whether the hospital had made the necessary adjustments after receiving increased financial support from the government.
At the entrance to the theatre court, the committee members observed that not all the rooms were in use.
The hospital’s acting CEO, Linda Mtshali, said this was usual practice in the hospital as it ensured that in case of an emergency, theatres would be available.
“It is common practice at the hospital that we have 80-90% theatre occupied, which is a guard against the occasional emergency surgeries from car accidents and some from other clinics,” Mtshali said.
Mtshali said almost 300 nursing vacancies needed to be filled in the hospital, and that it needed the government’s intervention.
"The visit from the KZN legislature is welcomed, it tells us that our work is not to be taken lightly. Hospitals do not operate entirely independently, but require the oversight and collaboration from governing bodies.”
Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital is a tertiary public and private hospital on Vusi Mzimela Road, Mayville, Durban. It was the first large-scale hospital to be built in South Africa since 1994.
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