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Yesterday, the Standing Committee on Health conducted oversight visits to Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha District Hospitals to inspect the quality of services rendered.

Despite the pressures being faced at each of these facilities, they remain functional and are continuing to provide quality health care to residents in need. We were welcomed by competent management who answered all of our questions and also witnessed dedicated staff members who tirelessly cared for patients.

However, it was clear that there are many socio-economic factors placing strain on our health care system. Unfortunately, this is an issue which all facilities in our country face and speaks to the need for the national government to send greater resources to provinces. ​Owing to the importance ​of these factors being mitigated, we will conduct a joint engagement with the Standing Committee o​n Social Development to determine the ​necessary measures that can be implemented.

Over time, the demographics of the communities in which these facilities operate have required them to provide specialised services that are otherwise expected from equivalent Regional Hospitals. This has translated in them going beyond their initial designs and mandates in order to serve the community. While they are able to do so for the foreseeable future, in the long-term their designated funding would ​be insufficient for the projected demands.

Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha District Hospitals, including those across South Africa, have had to absorb cases of violence, substance abuse, criminality and other societal ills whose root causes are beyond the control of the health care system. It is evident from the visits that the strain on the facilit​ies ​is not due to the lack of commitment from ​the staff or ​Department, ​but rather from ​the socio-economic factors in their respective catchment areas. This places much stress on staff, patients and infrastructure which emphasises the need for us to realise our roles in contributing to relieving these pressures.

MPP Wendy Kaizer-Philander says: “In the Western Cape we are fortunate to have a competent provincial Department who actively intervenes to ensure life-saving treatment is still delivered. Going forward, we will continue to conduct oversight visits in order to hold the executive to account so that residents receive the quality services our province has to offer.”

Issued by Wendy Kaizer-Philander, MPP - DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Health