The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal has called for the urgent deployment of Military Health Services to the province’s hospitals until such time as medical and other essential staff are able to travel safely to their places of work and patient care is improved.
In addition, we have appealed for the urgent protection of the vital N2 and N3 routes and the safeguarding of medical supply transport, including oxygen trucks, from other provinces as they make their way to KZN.
The calls come as the DA continues to receive hundreds, if not thousands of desperate pleas from those within the medical fraternity, patients and their families.
Some of the challenges facing doctors and nurses includes a lack of fuel which is preventing them from reporting for work. This in addition to the fact that many fear for their safety by being on our roads. This is leading to delayed healthcare.
Then there are the reports that some of the province’s largest hospitals are not able to provide chronic or other medication, including oxygen, while food supplies, laundry and cleaning services and other basics are also severely affected.
The DA has also received desperate calls for help from those who urgently need various medications and who rely on state transport to get to hospitals for critical treatment such as dialysis.
The many public appeals have also gone to KZN’s Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu. Yet, to date, there has not been any official word from her or her Department on how they will assist.
It is due to this lack of direction and communication that the DA has taken the decision to call for the urgent deployment of military medical services.
Despite all that has taken place in our province this week, we cannot forget that we are in the midst of a global health pandemic. Certainly, this is no time for government to be at a loss when it comes to providing healthcare services.
The DA remains committed to ensuring that KZN’s people have access to healthcare during these trying times.
