The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng has welcomed the decision of provincial health authorities to put the CEO of the Thelle Mogoerane Hospital in Vosloorus on the Gauteng East Rand, Nomonde Mqhayi-Mbambo on special leave.
This follows the death of five infants at the hospital, due to the spread of a bacterial infection called Klebsiella. The infection is antibiotic-resistant and has affected at least 11 babies.
Some of the hospital’s wards have been shut down, as the source of the infection is still unknown.
DA Shadow Health MEC, Jack Bloom, says Mqhayi-Mbambo ignored warnings of overcrowding from staff.
“It’s a very serious situation because they’ve still not detected the source of this outbreak, and they’re at present diverting patients from the neonatal ward. I think the under-lyning problem at this hospital is short-staffing and overcrowding. I welcome the fact that the CEO has been put on special leave, because I think she was part of the problem – she was warned that overcrowding could lead to infections. But I think there needs to be a proper investigation. How did this happen? Because these were avoidable deaths.”
