Putting pressure on nearby hospitals
A SHORTAGE of doctors forced the Dora Nginza Hospital casualty unit to shut its doors this week, the second time in a month that it has done so.
The critically injured and sick were referred to the already over-burdened Livingstone Hospital with even ambulances being prevented from dropping patients at Dora Nginza.
This comes just a month after the unit shut down in early December, also because of staff shortages.
The Port Elizabeth Hospital Complex, comprising Dora Nginza, Livingstone and Provincial hospitals, has only 5 doctors in the casualty units instead of the 31 that are needed.
A previous notice still stuck up in Dora Nginza’s waiting room yesterday read: “The casualty ward will be closed from January 1 to January 3. All patients and ambulances are requested to go to Livingstone. Thanks management.”
But staff and patients said the unit was closed again on Monday.
A nurse confirmed that the unit was closed, but could not say why.
A paramedic who did not want to be named for the fear of losing his job said they were surprised when they were prevented by security guards from going to the casualty ward.
“It was closed but I do not know why because the security guards prevented us from going to the casualty ward. They could not even let us go to the doctors or nurses to ask what was going on. They just told us they were doing as instructed,” he said.
“We were transporting a five month pregnant woman and we had to leave her at the gynaecology ward because we could not leave her outside. Normally if a woman’s [in the earlier stage of pregnancy], she is supposed to be referred to the gynaecology ward, [from the casualty ward] but we could not do otherwise.”
Sikhumbuzo Bhungane, a patient, said he had been waiting for his X-Ray results since Monday.
“They told me I should wait for six hours for the results but I have not received them. In that time I saw people being transferred to Livingstone Hospital and some are still there. Some of us have been sleeping at the hospital,” Bhungane said.
The casualty unit at Dora Nginza was also closed December 1 to 2 because of staff shortages. At the time provincial spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said it was an “internal operational arrangement.”
Livingstone Hospital chief executive Dr Kobus Kotze could not comment as he was still on leave.
Provincial health department spokesman Siyanda Manana referred all questions to Kupelo, who referred requests for comment to Dora Nginza Hospital chief executive Dr Aydin Vehbi.
Vehbi could not be reached for comment.
The PE Herald
Doctor shortage forces hospital to close Casualty
Putting pressure on nearby hospitals
A SHORTAGE of doctors forced the Dora Nginza Hospital casualty unit to shut its doors this week, the second time in a month that it has done so.
The critically injured and sick were referred to the already over-burdened Livingstone Hospital with even ambulances being prevented from dropping patients at Dora Nginza.
This comes just a month after the unit shut down in early December, also because of staff shortages.
The Port Elizabeth Hospital Complex, comprising Dora Nginza, Livingstone and Provincial hospitals, has only 5 doctors in the casualty units instead of the 31 that are needed.
A previous notice still stuck up in Dora Nginza’s waiting room yesterday read: “The casualty ward will be closed from January 1 to January 3. All patients and ambulances are requested to go to Livingstone. Thanks management.”
But staff and patients said the unit was closed again on Monday.
A nurse confirmed that the unit was closed, but could not say why.
A paramedic who did not want to be named for the fear of losing his job said they were surprised when they were prevented by security guards from going to the casualty ward.
“It was closed but I do not know why because the security guards prevented us from going to the casualty ward. They could not even let us go to the doctors or nurses to ask what was going on. They just told us they were doing as instructed,” he said.
“We were transporting a five month pregnant woman and we had to leave her at the gynaecology ward because we could not leave her outside. Normally if a woman’s [in the earlier stage of pregnancy], she is supposed to be referred to the gynaecology ward, [from the casualty ward] but we could not do otherwise.”
Sikhumbuzo Bhungane, a patient, said he had been waiting for his X-Ray results since Monday.
“They told me I should wait for six hours for the results but I have not received them. In that time I saw people being transferred to Livingstone Hospital and some are still there. Some of us have been sleeping at the hospital,” Bhungane said.
The casualty unit at Dora Nginza was also closed December 1 to 2 because of staff shortages. At the time provincial spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said it was an “internal operational arrangement.”
Livingstone Hospital chief executive Dr Kobus Kotze could not comment as he was still on leave.
Provincial health department spokesman Siyanda Manana referred all questions to Kupelo, who referred requests for comment to Dora Nginza Hospital chief executive Dr Aydin Vehbi.
Vehbi could not be reached for comment.
The PE Herald
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