Following a report by doctors on the “dire” state of health care in the Free State, the Treatment Action Campaign has called for MEC Benny Malakoane to be fired
5 March 2015
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has called on Free State Premier Ace Magashule to fire or suspend health MEC Benny Malakoane, after the release of a letter from doctors about the Free State healthcare system.
TAC accused Magashule and Malakoane, for the“evasive” response of the department to allegations of the collapse of the Free State healthcare system.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the TAC called on the ANC to take responsibility for the situation in Free State after GroundUp published a letter from doctors in the Free State on what they described as the “dire” condition of healthcare in the province.
“Based on our own experience in the Free State we find the allegations to be credible. The letter is both an indictment of the current management of the Free State healthcare system and a call for help from committed doctors. The evasive response from the department is disappointing given the seriousness of the issues raised by the whistle-blowers,” TAC said.
TAC said it was disappointed that the response from the Provincial Department of Health did not address any of the specific concerns raised in the whistle-blowers’ letter.
It called on the Premier
to urgently convene a provincial consultative forum as provided for in the National Health Act, and
to either dismiss or suspend Malakoane.
TAC also endorsed the call by the doctors for an investigation by the SA Human Rights Commission.
Repeated attempts by GroundUp to reach the Premier and of ANC Free State secretary William Bulwane for comment were unsuccessful.