Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla says they’re looking at expediting the process of regulating access to healthcare, especially in situations that are not urgent. Phaahla has conceded that the current regulatory environment is weak.
He has been speaking at the Kalafong Tertiary Hospital where Operation Dudula has been picketing for weeks now over the influx of undocumented foreign nationals in healthcare facilities.
A scuffle between Dudula and EFF members broke out earlier. Police fired rubber bullets at EFF members who are against the picket. Phaahla says they’ll be starting the process of accepting proposals from health officials.
“We’re waiting for our HODs to bring us proposals, firstly in terms of the tent of pressure in the system and the options from an administrative point of view. What are the options? Once we can look at that throughout national health council which is the minister, deputy minister and MECs, we can then adopt regulatory proposals. Then I’ll have to take them to cabinet because it will be issues which affect beyond just the department, it becomes a diplomatic issue,” says Phaahla.
VIDEO: Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla visits Kalafong Hospital following protests:
On Friday, the hospital obtained a court interdict against the protestors. Hospital CEO Dr Sello Matjila says they are worried about the safety of staff and patients.
“We are just worried about the safety of all our patients and staff. Our interdict had specific names, but we also interdicted any unknown individuals because these things are sporadic and not very well coordinated. We just don’t know whom we are dealing with. The interdict covers all the other individuals under the banner of Operation Dudula.”
The government says while it understands that the public health system is overburdened, Dudula’s actions are infringing on basic human rights.
NGO Doctors Without Borders has also weighed in on the matter. The organisation’s Dr Tasanya Chinsamy says no one should be deprived of the right to access healthcare services.
“People don’t realise that people who are referred to tertiary care are referred for a reason because this care is not available in primary care. We cannot manage those patients at a primary health level whether it’s because we don’t have the resources, the equipment, or personnel like specialists to do so. A lot of these patients require high-level care and specialist care. And what happens is if they don’t get this care their conditions can worsen. They can become very ill or they can die. It’s a domino effect.”
Operation Dudula says it will continue with its demonstration despite the interdict. It says the document only prevents them from turning away patients and not from picketing.
