The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it is concerning that one out of every four Gauteng public hospitals has acting CEOs with limited authority to fix the ailing health system.
According to a written reply by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko to a question by the DA’s Shadow Health MEC, Jack Bloom, 9 out of 37 Gauteng public hospitals currently have acting CEOs.
The previous ones have either left or have been suspended.
According to the MEC’s reply, Kopanong Hospital in Vereeniging in the Vaal has been without a permanent CEO since the previous CEO’s contract ended in February last year.
Bloom says this is worrying. “It really means you don’t get proper direction for these hospitals. And the Gauteng Health Department needs to fill these vacancies as soon as possible because we need good, honest, competent CEOs to fix up our hospitals. Otherwise, all these acting positions are leading to a lot of patients suffering.”
