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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape is calling on Health MEC, Fufe Makatong, to institute an urgent investigation into four “brand new” anaesthetic machines that are gathering dust at the Kuruman and Tshwaragano hospitals in the John Taole Gaetsewe district.

It is believed that the machines, which are incompatible with other medical equipment at the hospitals, have been standing unused for the past five years, while two old and outdated anaesthetic machines are used instead.

Anaesthetic machines play a crucial role in the surgery process. It is, however of cardinal importance that they are regularly maintained and calibrated in order not to expose patients to unnecessary dangers. Worryingly, this is not the case at the Kuruman and Tshwaragano facilities. This is a huge medico-legal risk.

While it is uncertain as to whether the machines were procured by the department or donated, it is unfathomable as to why no action has been taken to either modify them to make them compatible, or to get rid of them if they can be of no use.

The DA will ask MEC Makatong to prove clarity on the currently useless machines. We want to know how they ended up in at these facilities and at what cost to the department?

The failing ANC’s provincial health department is in a dire financial state and there are serious shortages of equipment across the province. The department can ill afford to allow machinery, to the value of millions of rands, to stand idle.

Only change under a DA-led government will ensure that scarce financial resources and equipment are used optimally to ensure that all people have access to quality health care services.

Issued by DA