Eastern Cape healthcare a looming human rights crisis
It is clear that the state of the Eastern Cape healthcare system is a looming human rights crisis. The deteriorating state of public hospitals in the province is placing the lives of patients at risk (see report).
If the Eastern Cape Provincial Government does not take the necessary steps to address the problems facing Eastern Cape hospitals as a matter of urgency, the Democratic Alliance (DA) will request an investigation by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to determine the department's culpability in violating the rights of patients.
Today, my colleagues and I from the Eastern Cape legislature, Bobby Stevenson MPL and John Cupido MPL, visited the Dora Nginza and Livingstone hospitals.
We wanted to assess first-hand the conditions being faced by patients and staff.
Ahead of our visit, the DA learned that the Eastern Cape Department of Health called an urgent meeting this morning of all senior managers at the Port Elizabeth Hospital Complex.