MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko says they’re aware of infrastructure issues at Helen Joseph Hospital.
THE Gauteng Department of Health said it’s aware of infrastructure issues at Helen Joseph Hospital in Joburg and they’re being attended to.
This after the MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited the hospital following a video showing the grim state of the hospital.
The video, which trended over the weekend, was shot by former media personality Tom London. He showed the devastating state patients are exposed to and spoke about the treatment by doctors.
Reacting to the video, the Health Department instituted their own investigation, which led to the MEC visiting the facility on Sunday, 8 September.
The MEC said they met the management team of Helen Joseph Hospital and senior officials from the department where she was appraised about the care provided to Tom London following his complaint on social media.
“Tom London (51) was admitted to the hospital on 25 August presenting with difficulty in breathing. He was in the facility for 14 days, where he was cared for, subjected to various tests and stabilised.
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“On Saturday, 7 September, he signed a refusal of treatment form and discharged himself from hospital,” he said.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said having received a briefing from the clinicians on the treatment given to London, the department is satisfied that adequate clinical care was discharged to manage his condition.
She stated that in addition, the department is willing to allow an independent process to review the quality of clinical care provided to him while at the hospital.
“There are known infrastructure issues which are being attended to as part of the maintenance and refurbishment programme. However, these have not had a material effect on the treatment given to patients admitted at the hospital,” she said.
However, London, said his comments were misunderstood as he never complained about the clinical treatment he received, but the attitude by the doctors.
“The treatment from the doctors towards me and other patients was what shocked me. Most of the doctors that I have encountered treating the patients, they could greet the patients. None of them were able to be empathic to patients. A lot of the conversation the doctors had with the patients did not have humane elements to it,” he said.
He added that when he saw a man who had died laying there unattended with more than 30 flies flying around him, that’s when he decided he didn’t want to be treated like that.
Kgomotso Medupe
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