INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS

Addington hospital in Durban has cancelled elective surgeries and has reportedly run out of medication and disinfectant.

The crisis at Addington Hospital deepened last week with all elective surgeries being cancelled and the renal unit reported to be in a state of filthy chaos.

Sterilised surgical instruments, theatre drugs, disinfectant and resources required to run the renal clinic properly have run dry.

The dismissal of senior managers and the suspension of supply chain staff, after allegations of fraud and corruption, have been blamed for the crisis.

Department of Health area manager Dr Mandla Mhlongo, said a lack of leadership at the hospital, after the retirement of the hospital CEO (an acting administrator was appointed in May last year) and suspension of the medical manager for alleged fraud and corruption, had compromised the running of the hospital.

“The financial manager was also dismissed for fraud and the human resource manager resigned. In essence, there is no management team,” Mhlongo said. “We are in the process of conducting interviews to fill these posts.”

He said a complete audit had been under way since late last year, and the department was working on a turnaround strategy.

“Investigations into the fraud and corruption claims are under way. We hope to finalise them in the shortest possible time,” he said.

“The shortage of medicines is worrying. In the past week, we have deployed temporary staff to the supply chain department to assess the situation,” he said last week.

The Daily News first reported on the medicines crisis two weeks ago.

Mhlongo stressed that the hospital would not shut its doors because of its problems, saying every attempt would be made to accommodate patients.

A doctor at the hospital, who did not want to be named, described the situation as a shocking mess and warned that patient care was severely compromised.

The hospital has been stuck in a logistical nightmare for the past six months after key staff from supply chain management were suspended for alleged fraudulent activities.

This had resulted in zero stocks of more than 300 types of medication, including insulin.

The doctor said they were being forced to work in difficult conditions, forcing them to breach protocol while trying to save lives.

“People who have been booked for gall bladder operations and other procedures are furious after they were informed their theatre dates had been cancelled indefinitely,” he said. “They have the choice to wait or go to a private facility – one many cannot afford.”

He said more than 250 patients had been affected. The doctor claimed surgical sutures, staples, crepe bandages, laproscopic equipment, airway tubes, catheters and syringes had run out completely.

“If someone comes in with an open wound and requires stitches, we cannot help them. There is no equipment or disinfectant available. They will have to go to another hospital,” he said.

“Despite the crisis, we are trying our best to do our jobs. But, with the lack of resources, we could be compromising the outcome. In some instances we are having to beg and borrow medication and equipment from other hospitals.

What was frustrating, he said, was that this was not a financial issue. “It is poor management. After the staff from the stores department were suspended, replacements should have been sent in. This never happened.”

Mhlongo denied the theatre was not operational.

“There are problems in theatre. For instance the air conditioners are not working,” he said. “But, we are seeing to emergencies. There are some troublemakers out there who are stirring trouble by exaggerating the situation.”

A patient with end-stage kidney failure, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, claimed the renal unit hospital was in a terrible state.

He said the unit was dirty and unhygienic, with poor ventilation.

“About 30 patients are treated per four-hour dialysis sessions. We sit in a room with filthy windows and an air conditioner that seldom works. The toilet is always in a state and we have to carry our own toilet paper.”

The patient said that, for several months now, dressings – used to cover areas where catheters had been inserted – were out of stock.

“The nurses just stick on a plaster and this sometimes results in infections. “When I question them about the dressing they suggest I should go to (Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital), because they don’t have any in stock.”

“Most times there is no medication in stock to give us. I have to buy the meds,” he said.

The patient said when they raised the issue with management, they were informed an internal audit was in the process of being conducted because of alleged corruption in several departments.

“The staff had apparently been involved in fraudulent activities. They said this resulted in stocks being restricted until the lengthy audit was completed. They warned us to keep it quiet because they did not want the public to find out.”

Mhlongo confirmed a shortage of medical stocks in the renal unit.

“It is a challenge for us,” he said. “But, we are running low, not dry. If necessary, we will borrow from other hospitals to avoid patient care being compromised.” - Daily News

...