Gauteng Health MEC Criticised for Downplaying Issues Raised in Viral Video at Helen Joseph Hospital

• Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited Helen Joseph Hospital following the release of a now-viral video
• The video, made by a patient, detailed the shoddy condition of the hospital and the poor attitude of the staff and doctors
• South Africans are upset with the Health MEC after she failed to deal with the main issues raised in the video

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has spent a decade reporting on the South African political landscape, crime and social issues.

JOHANNESBURG – Are the Department of Health in Gauteng sweeping issues under the rug at one of their hospitals?

Many South Africans felt this way after hearing the Health MEC’s comments after visiting the Helen Joseph Hospital.

The hospital was thrust into the spotlight over the weekend following the release of a video by a patient, Tom London.

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In the now-viral video, London claimed that doctors treated patients like cockroaches.

He also focused on the hospital's state, detailing the malfunctioning taps, poor condition of the ceiling boards, and broken plug points.

Health MEC defends hospital

Following the video's release, Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko apologised to London and promised to conduct her own investigation.

Nkomo-Ralehoko then visited the Helen Joseph Hospital and has since disagreed with some of London’s comments.

The MEC said that she found London was receiving treatment after speaking to all the staff responsible for treating him, adding that he would receive the same treatment at any other healthcare facility.

Gauteng Health officially released a statement about its findings, adding that while infrastructure issues existed, they did not affect patient treatment.

Mzansi unhappy with MEC’s response

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While Nkomo-Ralehoko addressed London’s medical treatment, netizens were unhappy with how she failed to touch on the other issues raised in the video, including the attitude of staff.

@LucasMoagi3 was quick to point out this fact:

“This does not address the issues the gentleman is raising. He does to a certain extent concede that the other doctor treated him very well. It is the second doctor he complained about and how other doctors treated the patients. This statement does not speak to his grievances.”

@DocHassim also agreed that the MEC sidestepped away from the real issue:

“He didn’t question the effectiveness of the treatment. He questioned the attitudes, the decrepit facilities and the no-care attitude of the staff. Nowhere do I read anything addressing these issues.”

@sikho_siseko accused the department of trying to discredit London’s complaint:

“Trying to discredit his statements with this poor excuse of a media release statement. Well, it's a well-known issue that the treatment of patients in public health facilities is inhumane, and it has been an ongoing factor nationwide. It's high time that public service be professionalised.”

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@MichelleGebha13 said she wished the Health MEC was admitted to the same ward:

“I hope that the next time the MEC for Health in Gauteng needs hospital treatment, she goes to HJH and that ward. No special treatment. She must receive the same excellent care the current patients receive.”

@Mma_Kamohelo felt sorry for those who couldn’t afford private healthcare:

“Yhooooo hai ke, I give up. And the tap that is not working there, it seems like there are many problems in that hospital and that video says it all. I'm really scared of government hospitals. Lord have mercy on your children who can't afford to go to private hospitals.”

@lyndz_20 questioned whether the dead patient mentioned in the video was also not a problem:

“And the dead man in the ward is also pretending to be dead ne?”

@ALETTAHA was worried the matter would be forgotten:

"And as per usual, it all gets swept in under the carpet."

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Overcrowding crisis at Helen Joseph Hospital

Briefly News reported that this is not the first time the hospital has found itself in the headlines.

In July, an overcrowding crisis was uncovered at the facility’s casualty ward, as patients were forced to sleep on the floor.

It was found that 45 sick patients were either sleeping on chairs or on the floor at the Johannesburg hospital.

Source: Briefly News