Parliament, Monday, 1 June 2020 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, said it is disappointing and unbecoming of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Life St Mary’s Hospital in Mthatha to choose not to be at work, and not to leave a report on the day of the committees oversight visit.
The Portfolio Committee on Health and Select Committee on Health and Social Services are on their second week of oversight visits to assess the state of quarantine sites and readiness of public and private hospitals to deal with Covid-19 in the Eastern Cape. Last week, the committees conducted oversight in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
Dr Dhlomo said “It is quite surprising as we had informed identified health facilities, including Life St Mary’s Hospital in Mthatha, of the committees intended oversight visit in the Eastern Cape. Among the identified hospitals was Life St Mary’s, which has been in the public domain with regard to the challenges it has been experiencing relating to high numbers of Covid-19 infections, affecting both its staff and patients. The CEO did not leave any kind of report of the challenges and the status of readiness of the hospital regarding Covid-19. This is shocking and inappropriate of the CEO,” said Dr Dhlomo.
The Life Healthcare Group has requested to meet with the committees next week to share the readiness of its hospitals to curb and fight the spread of Covid-19.
Dr Dhlomo said “when we meet with Life Healthcare Group next week the first thing they have to do is to account and explain the behaviour of their CEO”.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, DR SIBONGISENI DHLOMO.
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Name: Ms Yoliswa Landu
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