Patients have to queue before sunrise at this rural Limpopo hospital

Patients at Malamulele Hospital face long queues and delays because of staff shortages and unfilled vacancies. Photo: Thembi Siaga.

Phego Mahlaule is 78 and uses crutches. He gets up before sunrise to catch a taxi from his home in Matsakali to Malamulele Hospital, ten kilometres away. He arrives just before 6am, but there is already a queue. Unable to stand for hours, he takes his grandson with him to keep his place in line and help him navigate the confusing hospital corridors.

It takes ages just to get his file. Then he must wait for a doctor to see him for his check-up. Many people queue simply to collect their chronic medication.

Malamulele Hospital serves dozens of villages within a 25 km radius, including Josefa, Gumbani and Mavambe, and queues are always long, patients said.

When GroundUp visited, we saw family and visitors bringing drinking water for patients, saying their relatives had complained that the hospital’s water tastes sour.

The Public Servants Association (PSA) said it is aware of staffing shortages at the hospital, the result of retirements, resignations and deaths.

“PSA has repeatedly called on the Department of Health to urgently replace these positions, not only at Malamulele Hospital but across the province. The failure to replace staff is overburdening the few employees who remain, exposing them to errors and mistakes,” said Lawrence Muvhango from PSA Limpopo.

Muvhango said many supervisors and managers are in acting positions, limiting their ability to make decisions.

Workers at the hospital told us there are only two clerks instead of the 24 needed for the hospital.

Neil Shikwambana, spokesperson for the provincial health department, said the previous CEO of the hospital had resigned prior to a disciplinary process.

“We are unable to discuss any issue of discipline connected to his name because he is no longer an employee of the department,” said Shikwambana.

He said a skills development officer reports to the acting CEO “to ensure the facility runs smoothly”.

The department said four people had retired in the admin section, “which caused us challenges”, but trainees had been put in their place “as a short term plan”.

The department acknowledged the long waiting time at the outpatient department.

Shikwambana also acknowledged that water was an issue as the municipality struggles to supply the township where the hospital is located. Water trucks and borehole water are used during outages.

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