Durban - KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Sibusiso Dhlomo has condemned the violent taxi protests that rocked Pietermaritzburg on Thursday
One of the demands from the taxi drivers is that their fines be scrapped. In a statement, Dhlomo said a department vehicle was torched during the protest. Healthcare services to Edendale hospital were severely affected he said.
The blockade resulted in some patients having to be sent home and operations being cancelled because the doctors could not get to the hospital in time, he said.
“What has happened here is completely unacceptable. We cannot afford to have a situation where access to healthcare – including for people in life-threatening situations – can be disrupted by a few people who have grievances. No matter how legitimate these people believe their grievances to be, we cannot have people dying just because of the irresponsible actions of a few. It simply cannot be justified,” Dhlomo said.
He said they received complaints from the community that there are not enough vehicles to provide services to help community members.
Burning the department’s vehicles did not help matters he said.
The department listed the following ways that Edendale Hospital was affected:
· At the Emergency department, not all staff reported on duty, so green codes (those with non-life threatening ailments) were discharged and asked to return the next day;
· The Urology Clinic cancelled appointments due to unavailability of the doctor;
· At the Orthopaedics unit, most doctors arrived only around midday, and are only doing emergency work. One case was cancelled because the orthopaedic surgeon from Grey’s was unable to get through to the hospital.
· The surgical disciplines did not have capacity to run full theatre operation lists.
· While surgical emergencies are carrying on, scheduled surgical operations had to be cancelled
· Patients with Ear, Nose and Throat-related ailments were seen late as the doctor could not get through on time. So did the Ophthalmologist, who might have to cancel a few local cases.
· The Obstetrics unit was only able to run one theatre. A second theatre was only opened just before 1pm.
Daily News