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Limpopo hospitals are struggling to provide the basics

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SOME hospitals in Limpopo have been hit by food shortages, with patients now relying on relatives for daily supplies because of the apparent failure by the government to pay service providers.

The hardest hit hospitals, where food has run out, are Jane Furse and St Rita's in Sekhukhune, Bela Bela, Donald Fraser outside Thohoyandou, and Groblersdal.

The crisis surfaced on Tuesday when patients' relatives descended on various hospitals to give them food. Many other hospitals are having difficulty feeding patients their required daily rations.

Hospital staff fear for patients whose relatives are poor and cannot provide food.

A nurse at Donald Fraser Hospital, who did not want to be named, said: "There has to be an urgent intervention, otherwise we might start talking about patients - like the diabetics - dying because they could not respond to medication on empty stomachs".

Maria Sikhwari, whose son was admitted to Donald Fraser three weeks ago, said he complained of hunger on Tuesday.

"I found out from other visitors they had heard rumours that we now have to bring food for the patients. This is very painful and it's going to be an extra burden on me because I also struggle to get enough food at home."

A prominent ANC member attending the party's provincial lekgotla at an upmarket resort in Bela Bela told Sowetan the situation was "bad" at the local hospital.

He said patients were being fed dry rice and he gave some of them apples.

Provincial health spokesman Joe Maila confirmed that food supplies were low but "we don't know what the problem is".

"We are doing all we can to ensure supplies are back to normal. Sometimes people exaggerate the situation and we never called on people to bring food to the patients."

Several providers, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being blacklisted, confirmed they had not been paid.

"We cannot continue to provide services to the government when we don't have any guarantee we will be paid. We understand the situation but we are also business-people and have workers to pay and creditors breathing on our necks," one service provider said.

The Limpopo government's serious cash flow problems led to cabinet placing the health department under national administration.

A week ago Premier Cassel Mathale blamed the national government for the failure to pay for services.

Comments

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Thu May 23 15:30:39 SAST 2013 ::

Jan 19, 2012

ksetuke

ANC w ere tshegisa ka maburu!!
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Jan 19, 2012

candilious

ANC you are just going downhill ,jirreeeeee,this is murder you are Literally killing your own people.

Shame on you guys just after you had a Gala at Bela Bela ................almal van julle gaan k@k and that you cantake to the bank
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Jan 19, 2012

LAWAAI

This is nothing I am expecting more serious problems all over the country, the poor should brace themselves for tough times and suffering. It took Mugabe only 20 years to destroy Zimbabwe,SA is also heading in the same direction.
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Jan 19, 2012

sarmologadi

slowly but showly we r heading towards Zim...ANC u r embarasing us, sis
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Jan 19, 2012

Wanani

Grass roots level suffering while the guys in the Government are enjoying. This is what we call Democracy. This is what we voted for, we voted for a better life and this is what the Government is giving us. Better life for all.
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Jan 19, 2012

sarmologadi

i meant slowly but surely, my bad...sekgowa...
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Jan 19, 2012

Lekeke

Why do we still have People who don`t care about our life in Government? All they know is to pocket the money for themselves. How can you not pay the suppliers while you get paid at the end of the month?
This is Disgusting to say the least about our Government I wish there was another Party I can Vote for.

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Jan 19, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Sies!!! thieves search the nurses and the kitchen staff every day strip them naked and search them you will find that potatoe in these thieves @sses you may also retrieve,vors,stake and all the vegies people hide things in stange places.
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Jan 19, 2012

rahima

The poor voters are getting their payback now. Pity they could not see it coming. This is only the beginning. So next time vote sheeple again. Zim, here we come!
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Jan 19, 2012

RobinH

Blame blame deny deny party party. Anything except pay the bills and do the work. Stop arsing around playing party-political hopscotch and get on with running the province. That is what govt is supposed to do, in case you guys have forgotten. Your primary task is not to swan around sucking up to faction heads and fashion houses. It is to run a province..... and not into the ground!
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