- A doctor who penned an open letter highlighting the poor state of Rahima Moosa hospital in Johannesburg has been suspended.
- He claimed that the state of the hospital was contributing to the deaths of children.
- The Gauteng health MEC said she would be talking to the hospital about the suspension.
A doctor who publicly spoke out against the state of Gauteng healthcare facilities has been suspended.
Paediatrician Dr Tim de Maayer wrote an open letter to the Gauteng health department, stating that the "horrendous conditions in our public hospitals" contribute to children's deaths.
The letter was published on News24 on 24 May.
But on Thursday, De Maayer was placed on precautionary suspension by the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Johannesburg, where he works, said Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi.
A petition opposing the suspension stated that the paediatrician was "suspended for sticking up for the babies and children of Rahima Moosa". The petition already has 7 500 signatures.
In a statement on Thursday, Mokgethi said she would be talking with the hospital management following the decision to suspend De Maayer.
Mokgethi said:
Some of the concerns raised by De Maayer in his letter included that generators were inadequately sized to supply the hospital during load shedding, water cuts that led to the spread of infections, and the shocking state of toilets at the hospital.
At the time, the department said that the "Gauteng health system remains intact and continues to service millions of patients".
Over the last decade, the hospital has seen the second highest increase in patient load in the country, with no increase in infrastructure development.
According to the department, the current reality is that healthcare facilities often bear the brunt of interruptions in water supply or electricity outages.
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