Acting Health MEC visits facilities across the province
Gauteng Acting MEC for Health Mr Jacob Mamabolo today concluded his visit to health facilities across the province. Since he started in his acting capacity he spent the last five days interacting with senior managers and staff and also visited Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) storage facilities. His visit was to ensure the continuation of the comprehensive health response to COVID-19 while MEC Bandile Masuku is on special leave.
The first stop for MEC Mamabolo was a meeting with the department’s senior managers on Friday, 31 July 2020. In his address to the team MEC Mamabolo said that he was honoured to have been asked to temporarily steer the ship and was looking forward to working with all employees to ensure that Gauteng continues to give an adequate response to the COVID-19 pandemic with the number one priority being to save lives.
MEC Mamabolo visited three warehouses in Centurion, Roodepoort and Vanderbiljpark to inspect PPE stock levels. He further visited various facilities in the five districts as follows; regional hospitals (Sebokeng, Thelle Mogoerane, Pholosong, Far East Rand, Mamemlodi,
Leratong, Thambo Memorial and Edenvale), district hospitals (Kopanong, Bertha Gxowa, Jubilee, Yusuf Dadoo, Caltonville, Heideliberg
and Tshwane District Hospital) tertiary hospitals (Hellen Joseph, Kalafong and Thembisa) and academic hospitals (Chris Hani Baaragwanath, Chrlotte Maxeke, Dr George Mkhari and Steve Biko) including Johan Heyns Community Health Centre and Sterkfkontein specialised hospital. At the hospitals that he visited he discussed with senior clinical staff the management of confirmed COVID-19 positive patients, patient under investigation and fever tents which are meant to augment designated wards for COVID-19. Facilities were also requested to give an update on the rate of COVID-19 infection to staff members.
MEC Mamabolo interacted with organised labour, who gave him a sense of what is happening concerning provision of PPE to staff members. In terms of provision of PPE to staff members there were different views from various facilities. Some of the unions expressed satisfaction while others raised concerns about the quantity of PPE provided.
“The observations made will help strengthen the response of the provincial government to contain the spread of COVID-19. Our priority remains continues to be the saving of lives and mobilising sectors of society to work together with government in the fight against the Coronavirus,” explains MEC Mamabolo.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, as MEC Mamabolo was visiting facilities a video emerged on social media platforms showing dumped disposed PPE in a river in Irene. The Acting MEC visited the site where the said PPE was dumped. He expressed disappointment that people would dump PPE during a global pandemic and additionally pollute the environment. He called on the police to track down whoever is responsible and ensure that they are brought to book. The MEC has directed the Department to check if any of the PPE matches those at our various storage facilities.
For more information please contact Kwara Kekana, Spokesperson: MEC for Health on 074 054 3826 or Kwara.Kekana@gauteng.gov.za
Philani Mhlungu, Media Liaison Officer: MEC for Health on 060 961 2627 or Philani.Mhlungu@gauteng.gov.za
