Speaking to OFM News, the Chairperson of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) Anele Yawa says they are extremely concerned over the poor state of healthcare facilities in the North West. This, coupled with inadequate resources, shortages of medication including ARVs, and a shortage of medical personnel. 

Yawa’s statements come after TAC, together with the Stop Stockouts Project (SSP), Ritshidze, and other health advocacy organisations, visited 56 facilities across the province. He confirms the worst-hit district is Ngaka Modiri Molema, followed by Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati where they received the most complaints about persistent stockouts of chronic medication and the shortage of staff. Yawa says this often leads to people being sent home from local clinics empty-handed, or with shorter supplies of essential medicines than what they need.

“There are a number of challenges here in the North West, which are ranging from infrastructure issues where the state of some clinics is not good, to the unavailability of medicines. There are challenges with regard to Human Resources, healthcare workers, as well as their working conditions which are not up to standard. There is also an issue around the political will and political commitment, we don’t see the North West coming to the party nor making any contribution to the Provincial AIDS Council”.

In addition to concerns raised by Yawa, a report by Ritshidze indicates that the North West public health system has been in a crisis state for many years and is worsened by severe understaffing and shortages of healthcare workers. The report further indicates that in comparison to all other South African provinces, the North West has the lowest percentage of people on ARVs and the lowest percentage of people who are virally suppressed.

OFM News last year reported on how health services in the North West were in the spotlight after the HOD of Health, Thabo Lekalaka, who was accused of signing off on fraudulent contracts with the Gupta-linked company Mediosa, was fired. Lekalaka was fired following mammoth investigations into irregular tenders awarded to the mobile clinic's service provider. He allegedly signed off on upfront payments to Mediosa, amounting to more than R30 million before it even provided any services to the department.

The department’s dealings with the Gupta-linked company has for years drawn controversy leading to disgruntled employees and service delivery protests in the province.

Meanwhile, Yawa says the state of health care has not improved much. This, despite the entire province having been placed under administration from 2018 by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

OFM News