The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West Province, as part of the legislative delegation that is busy with oversight in the Dr. Ruth Segomutsi Mompati District, made a few observations at there stop at the Dryharts Clinic, near Taung. According to the DA’s Spokesperson on Health and Social Development , Gavin Edwards , The facility not only lacks vital equipment such as airway support devices, paediatric defibrillation devices and drip stands, adequate maternity or delivery beds, but also keep no drug registers, no infection control registers and the disorganized patient records leave much to be desired.

The total dysfunctionality of this clinic was revealed during an oversight inspection by the North West Provincial Legislature Committee on Health and Social Development on Tuesday , 20 August 2019.

“The fact that the clinic serves a considerable population in a fairly remote area without adequately trained staff or vital emergency equipment, calls for urgent intervention. The clinic further has no medical waste registers, service schedules and fire extinguishers, which poses a serious medico-legal risk.” Said Edwards

“As the Department is already faced with negligence claims amounting to R4 billion, further legal action should be avoided at all cost. We will therefore write to the MEC for Department of Health, Madoda Sambatha, requesting him to urgently address the shortfalls to avoid possible legal action and also the unnecessary loss of lives.” Edward’s further expressed .

The following observations were made by the DA during the oversight include the following:

• Emergency room is not adequately equipped to deal with emergencies, as the layout of the emergency consultation area is simply too small to provide any meaningful medical care to a patient in need of emergency medical attention.

• The clinic has no Tetanus and Diphteria vaccinations on site and also no fridge where drugs can be kept at the correct temperature. Such a fridge is crucial as certain drugs will only be effective when kept at the correct temperature.

• The Electrocardiogram, Defibrillator and Monitor has no calibration certificate. There is also no service history or register available for any of the monitoring devices.

• The resuscitation cart has no portable oxygen.

• The emergency drugs are not locked away. Scheduled drugs for sedation are stored in the same unlocked drawer.

• The mattress on the emergency bed has no linen, and no cross-contamination protection. Blood stains were visible on the mattress.

• The Emergency Manual Ventilation Devices are stored in the original boxes. Subsequently, medical staff will then have to remove such lifesaving equipment from a box in the event of an emergency. Ideally these items should be stored in an area that is easy to access.

• Oxygen / Medical gas is not stored safely, nor is any register kept of the oxygen inventory.

-The VIP Team

-DA NW Media

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