By: Zethu Gweva
The Public Service Commission in the Eastern Cape released findings and recommendations of the inspection conducted at the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital Mental Health Unit and Frere Hospital Hospital Nurses Home.
This after the unannounced inspections the PSC of the two health institutions and the media reports that alleged that Cecilia Makhiwane Hospital Mental Health Unit had broken windows, abandoned medical equipment and exposed electrical wiring which poses danger to patients and the staff.
According to the Public Service Commissioner, Lulu Sizani the findings proved that indeed the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital Mental Health Unit was in disrepair as they had not been maintained for years as they have the above-mentioned damages.
“We recommend that Cecilia Makhiwane Hospital Mental Unit should demolish the seclusion wards and replace them with environmental friendly rooms that are furnished with the necessary equipment for patients and set aside funds to fix dysfunctional cameras in the seclusion rooms,” said Sizani
The Department of Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba expressed that the department had started maintaining the mental unit, she said they have painted the passages and put artificial grass for the patients and hired a Psychiatrist.
“PSC went to Makiwane after the department went to inspect it first. We were already in the process of renovating the mental unit because we saw that it was highly neglected after the new wing was built,” said Gomba.
In addition, Sizani spoke about the findings at Frere Hospital’s Nerina Nurses Home that is the hostel, which is a health hazard to both students and nurses. She said there were heaps of uncollected waste, a pungent smell accompanied by buzzing flies and crawly maggots.
She added the PSC noted that refuse was last collected in January 2019 by the municipality. The infrastructure of the building is dire and the building has not been maintained in a long time and the window seals were broken, doors are vandalized and dilapidated and wooden floors were torn apart.
In response, Gomba said as the Department, they have failed to promptly attend and fix Nerina House. The situation at Nerina House has exposed a number of weaknesses in the administration of residents within Lilitha Nursing College.
She said a number of measures have been adopted and are being introduced to prevent the recurrence of Nerina. These were done in consultation with students, staff and security companies.
“I have resolved to temporarily close Nerina House from December 10, 2019, for a time period that will be determined by engineers to allow infrastructure teams to renovate and refurbish the building. As of February 01, 2020, beginning the new academic year, all Lilitha students under the East London campus, will be at the Nurses Home located in Cecilia Makhiwane Hospital,” said Gomba.