Dr Imran Keeka, MPL – Acting DA KZN Spokesperson on Health
The Democratic Alliance sees no good reason to welcome the removal of RK Khan CEO, Dr Prakash Subban, or the redeployment of Queen Nandi CEO, Nqobile Mkhwanazi to the hospital for a period of six months.
Dr Subban’s removal is typical of the KZN Department of Health. As was the case with her predecessor, the current MEC Simelane-Zulu, she has resorted to finding a ‘scape goat’ for what are essentially her own Department’s shortcomings and inability to deliver a quality health service.
This is precisely what happened during the disastrous and ongoing KZN Oncology crisis. Somebody needed to be blamed and at that time it was former HOD Sifiso Mtshali who took the fall. He became the ‘scapegoat’ in the eyes of the public.
The fact is that RK Khan and the vast majority of other state-run health facilities in the province are in a state of complete neglect. If anybody should be held accountable it is the current acting HOD and the former MEC, both of whom were at the helm for the last number of years.
The DA believes that the recent horror stories coming out of RK Khan are just the tip of the iceberg. We have therefore called on the South African Human Rights Commission to expand its ‘own initiative investigation’ to cover the hospital in general. The probe also needs to include conditions within the RK Khan labour ward after the DA received a photo (view here) showing surgical instruments being stored under poor conditions, leaving patients open to contracting infection.
It is unacceptable that the people of KZN are still suffering the indignity of poorly run state medical facilities. The DA will continue to perform its oversight functions at RK Khan and the province’s other healthcare facilities and the new MEC should not become an obstacle to any MPL performing this constitutionally mandated duty. It is the only way to ensure better healthcare for all citizens.