A damning report by the Eastern Cape Public Service Commission has found that the mental health unit of the Mdantsane-based Cecelia Makhiwane Hospital is in a state of disrepair. This follows an inspection that was conducted at the hospital in August.
The commission cited a lack of maintenance, ventilation areas not being environmentally friendly for patients, and that the unit does not have a permanent psychiatrist head among others things.
The report also recommended that the student accommodation at Frere Hospital in East London, should be closed down due to an ailing infrastructure.
Provincial Commissioner Lulu Sizani has vowed to hold the department of Health accountable.
“Our findings are very clear the mental health clinic Cecelia Makhiwane was not in good order. We did mention the things that we find there which were not supposed to be there and now that we have received the response from the MEC we will keep monitoring it next year, maybe first quarter of the year, we will find time time to go and check and what has been done.”
Health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, says all mental health related challenges are receiving special attention.
“We are looking at a relocation of mental care services. We want to create a precint and that precint must be able to actually say to us all the other issues that we are carrying starting from easy access and security are in one place.”
