People from the impoverished Xhariep district, in Free State province, are afflicted as health care facilities within the district are facing a high shortage of health professionals; doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
This has led to eight health facilities in the district being understaffed. Out of 27 medical doctors posts for eight facilities, there are only four filled positions for doctors.
This was revealed during the first day visit to Xhariep district on Thursday, 27 October 2011, by Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Gwendoline Ramokgopa. The overall objective of Dr Ramokgopa’s visit with the delegation from the National Department of Health was to measure the capacity of the district in contributing towards health targets set by the national department for all health districts countrywide to prepare for the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI).
The demographic arrangement of the district having huge distances between houses has demanded an increased dependence on mobile health facilities has been identified as a major challenge as more people within the district take long to access health services.
Emergency medical Services response was discovered to be also a main challenge for the district especially for maternal deaths.
Xhariep district has a population of approximately 143 000 and comprises of eight health facilities: three clinics, one primary health care centre, two district hospitals and two frail care facilities.
Joining Dr Ramokgopa during her visit was Free-State MEC for Health, Ms Fezi Ngubentombi who responded to the cited challenges by saying “there are plans underway to address these challenges. We are currently building a new hospital at Trompsburg at a tune of R258 million and a clinic at Rouxville of which a tender is to be advertised next month in November”.
Dr Ramokgopa and the delegation held morning indoor discussions about challenges and progress in Xhariep district then afterwards visited health facilities to obtain ‘first hand’ information and interaction with health care workers, patients, community members and governance structures. The visited facilities were Itumeleng clinic and Diamant District hospital in Jagersfontein, 120 kilometres away from Bloemfontein.
Dr Ramokgopa will complete her visit today, 28 October, at a site where a new district hospital will be built.
Enquiries:
Vukani Mnyandu
Cell: 083 923 0261
