Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital has been placed under a monitoring programme by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) following the conclusion of an investigation into a human rights complaint lodged by the DA in 2022.
SAHRC Free State provincial manager Thonoko Modise said a site visit revealed several critical concerns. “We found that there was a serious infrastructure problem. We also noted that three out of seven functional theatres were not being used due to a lack of nurses,” he said.
Modise further highlighted that the hospital receives no budget for maintenance, leaving facilities to deteriorate over time. Alongside this, there is a dire shortage of staff across various levels, including medical practitioners, nursing services, administrative support, and technical staff.
In response, the commission engaged with the hospital’s executive management and the provincial department of health. This engagement led to an intervention plan being proposed to the commission.
“Some of our concerns were partially addressed, which showed that progress had been made. We met with the head of the department, who committed to providing an intervention plan running until the end of the financial year to tackle the challenges raised,” said Modise.
He added that the SAHRC expects tangible improvements within the set timeframe. “If we feel by the end of the financial year there is no progressive movement in the interventions planned, we will hold the hospital and the department accountable and motivate accordingly against the department of health,” he warned.
The Free State department of health had not responded by the time of publication, but is expected to provide updates on the intervention plan. The SAHRC will continue monitoring the progress to ensure conditions improve for both staff and patients.
Clement Matroos
[email protected]
