Philadelphia Hospital in Limpopo is being overrun by patients from other provinces – Photo: Supplied
Philadelphia Hospital in Limpopo is being overrun by patients from other provinces – Photo: Supplied
Life is tough for both staff and patients at Philadelphia Hospital in Limpopo. The facility, which is near the provincial borders with Gauteng and Mpumalanga, is operating under a set of extreme pressures – leading to dreadful outcomes with stillborn deliveries and infant mortality rates.
Hospital of horror: Limpopo venue records ‘highest stillborn, infant mortality rates’
Staff shortages and infrastructure limitations are playing a massive part in the horrors unfolding at this hospital. Most managers are reportedly in ‘acting positions’, and the disarray shows no sign of relenting.
- The hospital has the highest stillborn baby records, infant mortality rates and medical legal claims in SA
- In excess of 70% of the patients come in from the neighbouring provinces.
- Patients refuse to go to KwaMhlanga Hospital in Mpumalanga or those in Gauteng, creating pressure at Philadelphia.
- Patients with head injuries in need of a CT scan must travel three hours up to Polokwane.
- Ambulances WILL take patients from other provinces to Philadelphia, but WON’T take locals elsewhere.
Huge pressures taking toll on beleaguered medical facility
Lindy Wilson is the Shadow Deputy Minister of Health. She conducted an oversight visit to the wards on Wednesday, and was taken aback by the scale of the challenges facing Philadelphia Hospital.
The DA has written a letter to the Chairperson of the Portfolio of Health in the National Assembly requesting an urgent oversight with the entire committee at the hospital. Wilson, meanwhile, revealed that legal claims made against the institution amount to something in the region of R650 million. Yikes…
“There is also a shortage of beds with mothers sleeping on mattresses on the floor. With the highest stillborn baby records, infant mortality rates and medical legal claims, the hospital will continue to see an escalation if urgent intervention is not taken. The hospital is currently facing medico legal claims in excess of R650 million.”
“The hospital delivers up to 35 babies per day. There is no theatre for the labour ward to manage emergency caesareans and this has led to huge cerebral palsy and stillborn deaths, as emergency caesarean births will often be delayed up to four hours until a general theatre becomes available.”
Lindy Smith
