Two recent watchdog reports exposed the alarming conditions at Helen Joseph Hospital, reflecting a larger crisis within the Gauteng health department. Independent inquiries by Health Ombud Taole Mokoena and the Office of Health Standards Compliance have validated former broadcaster Tom London’s claims from last year that patients are subjected to undignified and unsanitary conditions.
Their findings revealed fly-infested wards, trash-strewn grounds, and so few functioning toilets that staff had to use a nearby shopping mall for basic needs. They also uncovered governance issues, including a dysfunctional hospital board and inadequate procurement oversight, which leave the facility vulnerable to corruption.
Patient experiences
Unsurprisingly, patients in the overcrowded emergency department wait days and are often admitted to wards lacking clean linen or adequate nutrition. This is not the first inquiry into a Gauteng public hospital; the ombud’s investigation into Shonisani Lethole’s death at Tembisa Hospital uncovered gross neglect, staff shortages, and severe administrative dysfunction.
The Special Investigating Unit also identified this hospital as part of a corruption network exceeding R3 bn, where officials are said to have embezzled funds through inflated contracts. Whistle-blower Babita Deokaran was murdered for exposing these dubious contracts. Yet, more than three years later, only her assassins have faced prosecution, while the orchestrator of the hit remains unknown.
Ongoing challenges
In 2022, an investigation into the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital revealed expectant mothers compelled to sleep on the floor, overflowing toilets, and unheated wards. The report by then-Health Ombud Malegapuru Makgoba detailed the facility’s shortcomings and proposed an improvement plan.
Two years later, only half of his 44 recommendations have been implemented, and the independent forensic team meant to evaluate the hospital’s management has yet to be formed.
In 2016, the Wits Centre for Health Policy described the Gauteng health department as infested with mismanagement and corruption. Nearly ten years later, little has changed. The department now faces a budget deficit of R7.3bn, and, as is customary at the close of each financial year, it has frozen vacancies and left suppliers unpaid until the next fiscal year begins on April 1.
The financial strain results in postponed surgeries, potential shortages of medicines, and staff enduring challenging working conditions. There is a notable lack of political will to resolve these issues, with disturbingly few repercussions for those who, at best, are incompetent and, at worst, corrupt.
This situation severely undermines public confidence in the healthcare system and Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s assurances regarding National Health Insurance. Addressing the decay in the Gauteng health department would be a prudent first step in gaining public trust for the scheme.