Eastern Cape Department of Health

www.echealth.gov.za

United in Providing Quality Health Care

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ECDOH CALL CENTRE PRESIDENTIAL HOTLINE ANTI-FRAUD & CORRUPTION HOTLINE
0800 032 364 17737 0800 701 701

HEALTH MEC

HON NTANDOKAZI CAPA

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

DR R WAGNER

ACTING DDG OFFICE OF THE HOD

MRS L MAVUSO
MISS M MASEKO
ACTING DDG: HR AND COPORATE SERVICES

 

20 January 2023

 

MEDIA STATEMENT 

 

MEC WELCOMES ARREST OF SUSPECTED THUGS BEHIND CABLE THEFT AND VANDALISM AT CMH

 

BHISHO — Eastern Cape MEC for Health Nomakhosazana Meth has welcomed the swift action by the Mdantsane Forum to nab men suspected of stealing and vandalising electrical cables at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.

 

The two men were apprehended on Thursday night by the community before being handed over to the police.

 

The suspects were injured in the process, resulting in them being treated at the very same hospital they are suspected of stealing from.

 

MEC Meth welcomed the arrest.

 

“This is what active citizenry looks like so we are happy that the Mdantsane community took a stand and apprehended the alleged criminals. We applaud them for being patriots. However, we caution people against taking the law into their own hands.

 

“We now hope that the police will build a solid case against the suspects and help the state prove beyond reasonable doubt that the men are indeed behind the vandalism and theft of electricity cables at the hospital.

 

“Vandalising and stealing electricity cables of a hospital is tantamount to premeditated murder because we deal with life and death situations. Such criminality and thuggery also exposes the department to possible medico-legal claims should anything happen to patients.

 

“We are happy that this time no one lost their lives because of this,” she said.

 

The vandalism and cable theft at CMH is the latest incident in a string of cases where health facilities are targeted by criminals. 

 

Criminals stole municipal electrical cables in Dordrecht, resulting in services at Dordrecht Hospital being affected, overnight. 

 

Generators have kicked in to ensure services do not grind to a halt. The kitchen is running on gas at the moment.

 

The municipality has promised to prioritise fixing the cables. 

 

Fort Beaufort Hospital has also fallen prey to thugs as copper pipes from water piping in the theatre ablution were stolen this week.

 

The Marjorie Parrish TB Hospital in Port Alfred is currently dependent on its generator, after electrical cables were stolen, recently.

 

The department is busy with  the process of having the repairs work  being undertaken. 

 

In the last 18 months, there have been 120 burglaries at health facilities in Nelson Mandela Bay. 

 

Criminals in the Bay seem to be targeting air conditioners which affects services, as vaccines have to be moved to other facilities when this happens.

 

In the latest incidents, air conditioners have been stolen at Algoa Park Clinic and the clinic in Central, Gqeberha. 

 

Staff at KwaDwesi Clinic and Tshangana Clinic have also been robbed at gunpoint in recent weeks. 

 

There was also a burglary at the Gqeberha Lilitha Nursing College recreational hall where 13 electrical plugs and switches were stripped and vandalised.

 

Wiring of the sound system and wiring from toilets to passages were also stolen.

 

This happened on January 4. Cases were reported to the police in all cases.

 

There were also two incidents of cable theft at Empilweni Hospital last year which affected both electricity supply to the hospital and telephone lines.

 

Thugs also cut the fence at Dr Malizo Mpehle Hospital in Tsolo and stole equipment and a microwave in August. 

 

We applaud the police and courts for their diligent work as the culprits have been sentenced for 6 months. The stolen property was also recovered.

 

There was also a break-in at St Lucy’s Provincial Hospital in Tsolo in December. Criminals gained entry by cutting the fence.  

 

MEC Meth called on the SAPS to continue to prioritise cases involving health facilities and workers.

 

“Our facilities and workers are under siege from criminals. Such lawlessness should not go unpunished,” she said. 

 

The department has embarked on a security risk assessment to establish what interventions are needed at different facilities as a way of strengthening security. 

 

This includes beefing up technology and physical security guards. CCTV cameras and security beams are being installed while appropriate fencing is also being erected, among other measures.

 

The department is working in partnership with the government departments like Justice, Community Safety and policing cluster and the Clinton Health Access Initiative to strengthen our security systems and improve safety at health facilities.  

 

Electricity at CMH was restored on Thursday afternoon after the department appointed a contractor to fix the damage. 

 

Although the generators on site are functional, the missing cables meant that the electricity generated by the generators could not be conducted to the various parts of the hospital. 

 

A preliminary report indicates that the perpetrators dug a hole underneath the fence to gain entry to the facility. 

 

Mobile generators had to be deployed to the facility to operate critical areas — areas like the adult and paediatric ICUs and the kitchen so that patients could have warm food.  

 

Normal operations at CMH have resumed. 

 

Issued by the Eastern Cape Department of Health.

 

For enquiries, contact: 

 

Mr Mkhululi Ndamase, Spokesperson to MEC on 071 851 8338 

 

Ms Yonela Dekeda, Provincial Spokesperson, Eastern Cape Department of Health on 083 378 0968

 

19 January 2023

 

MEDIA STATEMENT 

 

BHISHO — Thugs vandalised and stole electricity cables at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital on Tuesday, causing disruption of services and plunging the Mdantsane hospital into darkness.

 

The Eastern Cape Department of Health worked around the clock to restore power. 

 

The cables that supply power to the hospital were badly vandalised with other cables stolen. Although the generators on site are functional, the missing cables meant that the electricity  generated by the generators could not be conducted to the various parts of the hospital. 

 

A preliminary report indicates that the perpetrators dug a hole underneath the fence to gain entry to the facility. 

 

Mobile generators had to be deployed to the facility to operate critical areas-  areas like the adult and paediatric ICUs and the kitchen so that patients could have warm food.  

 

Due to the urgency of the matter, a contractor to conduct complete assessment, repairs and replacement of the damaged and stolen cables was appointed immediately the need became known.

 

The contractors worked through the night until the power was restored this afternoon. 

 

As an interim measure, the department made the following interventions:

 

    ● Patients at OPD were diverted to Frere   Hospital;

    ● Two clinical managers from CMH were allocated to work at Frere casualty to assist with the workload;

    ● Fifteen corpses were moved to Mdantsane forensic for safe storage; and

    ● All caesarean sections were taken to Frere Hospital.

 

MEC for Health Nomakhosazana Meth, who embarked on an oversight visit to the hospital this afternoon, condemned cable theft.

 

“We need our communities to take ownership of government properties because it will be them who will suffer when services are disrupted. The people who stole the cables live among us in our communities".

 

“We are calling on community forums, communities and everyone to work together to ensure that such criminal elements are rooted out by exposing the thugs behind such criminality.

 

“We are fortunate that this time there were no lives lost as a result of this thuggery because we moved with speed to ensure that a contractor was appointed to fix the cables while critical patients were moved to other hospitals.

 

“We thank the CEO and his team for working until midnight and early this morning,” she said.

 

The MEC futher expressed words of appreciation to Buffalo City Deputy Executive Mayor, Cllr Princess who also provided support and assistance by clearing the hospital grounds. 

 

MEC called on the police to leave no stone unturned in their investigation.

 

The vandalism and stealing of the cables caused major delays and interruptions as some surgeries could not be performed and medication dispensed to patients as these required an ongoing electricity supply. 

 

In this particular instance, we can fortunately report that there has been no adverse events reported. 

 

Normal operations at the facility are expected to resume tomorrow.

 

Issued by the Eastern Cape Department of Health.

 

For enquiries, contact: 

 

Mr Mkhululi Ndamase, Spokesperson to MEC on 071 851 8338 

 

Ms Yonela Dekeda, Provincial Spokesperson, Eastern Cape Department of Health on 083 378 0968

 

10 NOVEMBER 2022

 

MEDIA INVITE

 

MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE TO RECEIVE THE GIFT OF SIGHT

BHISHO — With more than 1,000 cataract surgeries already done this year in the Eastern Cape, more of the life-changing surgeries will be performed at St Elizabeth Hospital this weekend. 

 

 The 54 cataract surgeries will be done in partnership with the South African National Council for the Blind. 

 

 The identified 54 people who will be operated on will first be screened on Thursday, admitted on Friday, and their cataracts removed on Saturday. In 2021,  2,525 cataract surgeries were performed in the Eastern Cape. 

 

 

MEC for Health, Nomakhosazana Meth will be at St Elizabeth Hospital on the surgeries. 

The surgeries will go a long way in eating away at the cataract backlog as it is estimated at 210 bilateral cataracts and 387 unilateral cataracts. 

 

 The media is invited to cover and report on the life-changing surgeries as follows:

 DATE: 12 November 2022

 

VENUE: St Elizabeth Hospital

TIME: 10am

 Issued by the Eastern Cape Department of Health. 

 

 For enquiries, contact: 

 

 Mr Mkhululi Ndamase, Spokesperson to MEC on 071 851 8338 

 

 Ms Yonela Dekeda, Provincial Spokesperson, Eastern Cape Department of Health on 083 378 0968

 

10 NOVEMBER 2022

MEDIA INVITE 

 

BHISO — After battling with unbearable back and neck pains due to macromastia, about 17 women will undergo breast reduction surgeries at Mthatha Regional Hospital (MRH) this weekend. 

 

Macromastia is a condition of abnormal enlargement of the breast tissue in excess of the normal proportion which may be caused by excessive fatty tissues.

 

The Breast Reduction Marathon is an initiative led by the head of plastic surgeon Dr Viwe Nogaga, aimed at reducing the backlog in these surgeries. 

 

The majority of the women set to benefit from this life-changing procedure come from under privileged backgrounds who aslo cannot afford to access such services at privately owned facilties. 

 

The patients with disproportionate breast mostly suffer severe health conditions like  chronic back and neck pains, headaches, shoulder pains, deep bra-strap grooves, and rashes beneath both their breasts. 

 Their breasts can become chronically painful, causing postural changes, along with inflamation, irritation, and other dermatologic manifestations.

 

 

This also causes psychological impact and many patients develop low self esteem and self-consciousness l about their size. 

 Reduction mammoplasty eliminates these problems in most instances. 

 

 The media is invited to cover and report on the life-changing surgeries as follows:

 

 

DATE: 13 November 2022

VENUE: Mthatha Regional Hospital

Time: 10h00

 Issued by the Eastern Cape Department of Health. 

 

 

For enquiries, contact: 

 Mr Mkhululi Ndamase, Spokesperson to MEC on 071 851 8338 

 

 Ms Yonela Dekeda, Provincial Spokesperson, Eastern Cape Department of Health on 083 378 0968

 

2 NOVEMBER 2022

  

BHISHO — To mark the start of the National Disability Rights Awareness Month, Eastern Cape Department of Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth will hand over much-needed wheelchairs in Nelson Mandela Bay on Friday, 4 October 2022.

 South Africa celebrates National Disability Rights Awareness Month between 3 November and 3 December every year — a month that seeks to promote a more inclusive society where everyone works together to improve the quality of life of people living with disabilities, through concrete action.

 

The Department of Health will use this month to showcase its contribution to supporting people with disabilities and encourage and educate communities on how to treat people with disabilities.

 

 November 4 will also mark the last day of training for therapists from various facilities and wheelchair beneficiaries, who are being trained on wheelchair basic seating as part of medico-legal cases mitigating strategies.

 

 The media is invited as follows:

 

 VENUE: Dora Nginza Hospital

 

DATE: 4 NOVEMBER 2022

TIME: 11am

 Issued by the Eastern Cape Department of Health. 

 

 For enquiries, contact: 

 

 Mr Mkhululi Ndamase, Spokesperson to MEC on 071 851 8338 

 

 Ms Yonela Dekeda, Provincial Spokesperson, Eastern Cape Department of Health on 083 378 0968