MEC for health and social development Clifford Mkasi said staff shortages had led to the delay in the opening of the Nelspruit Community Health Centre, which cost R70-million to build.

"We are opening the centre with minimal staff. There are 13 nurses at the hospital but we need to have 20. Even that may not be enough," Mkasi said.

"There is only one doctor and we see the need to have three to five doctors. We will have doctors from other hospitals come to help out here."

Last month, Mkasi said an audit done in February had shown there was a 81% shortage of doctors and 56% shortage of nurses in the province.

Since then, they have hired about 500 doctors and nurses, he said.

Mkasi said the new hospital would bring much-needed relief to Rob Ferreira Hospital, also in Nelspruit, and encouraged people to come to thecentre instead.

The centre has an operating theatre and an emergency room. Patients were already being treated yesterday . Patient Mapule Mashiane, of Kanyamazane, said it was a "blessing".

"We were subjected to long queues at Rob Ferreira and our local clinics are not helping. Sometimes I would go to the local clinic in the morning only to return home with no medication," she said.

Another patient, Patience Mlobela, said she had lost hope when she was turned away from a clinic earlyyesterday.

"I had taken my week-old baby for a check-up but was told to come back on Friday. Someone told me about this hospital and I came here," she said.

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Wed May 22 18:38:36 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 7, 2012

Kaylae

Limpopo please send those doctors here they have a need for them
Report Abuse

Aug 7, 2012

Maezizsto4Sure

oksalayo the hospital is opened why mentioned after how long nxa
Report Abuse

Aug 7, 2012

Maratachelete

Well,the hospital is opened after hundereds of people died,because of no health facilities,which in view is a little too late.
Report Abuse

Aug 7, 2012

malemaforpresident

DON'T CARE THEY WILL SIMPLY DUMP MEDICAL SPPLIES IN THE BUSHES AND UNDER THE BRIDGES LIKE THE TEXT BOOKS IN LIMPOPO
Report Abuse

Aug 8, 2012

Chichi7

We have a hospital with no doctors and on the other side, we have doctors that can not work. Is it me or does govt need to change their so called internal procedures to something that actually works for the people of south africa.
Report Abuse

Aug 8, 2012

skopa27

good thing for us kaizer chiefs supporters there is a place for us after games
Report Abuse

Read all 6 comments