Rahim Moosa Hospital pregnant women

A video showing pregnant women sleeping on the floor at Rahima Moosa Hospital in Johannesburg was widely circulated online.

Photo: Screenshot

‘Video was staged’: Rahima Moosa CEO on pregnant women lying in floors

The CEO of Rahima Moosa Hospital says the video showing pregnant women sleeping on the floor was staged by opposition parties.

Rahim Moosa Hospital pregnant women

A video showing pregnant women sleeping on the floor at Rahima Moosa Hospital in Johannesburg was widely circulated online.

Photo: Screenshot

The CEO of the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Dr Nozuko Mkabayi says the video depicting pregnant women sleeping on the floor was staged. 

The video which was widely circulated sparked public outrage and the hospital received backlash. 

RAHIMA MOOSA CEO SPEAKS OUT

In a TV interview, Mkabayi said the pregnant women had been sleeping on the floor for not less than 30 minutes. This was before the MMC walked in. 

She further alleged that the video was staged, according to reports from staff who were on duty that night. 

Mkabayi said the MMC for Health and Social Development, Ashley Sauls barged into the ward,unannounced with no appointment and under false pretence between 00:00 and 01:00 on Friday. 

“The report is that on Thursday night, none of the pregnant women were sleeping on the floor, they were all sitting on the chairs. 

“One of the patients who was sitting on a chair received a phone call she then instructed other patients to lie on the floor. We have since interviewed four patients and they all reported that they had been sleeping and they are not sure about what happened. 

Rahima Moosa Hospital CEO

Mkabayi said Rahima Moosa does not deal with general patients who deliver normally but deals with patients who need specialise care. 

“In our region we only have two Midwife Obstetric Units (MOUs) that cater for a large number of patients. All the patients who need specialised care end up coming to Rahima Moosa. The population in Gauteng has mushroomed in the past decade,” she said .

DA SLAMS CEO FOR WORKING FROM HOME 

DA Shadow MEC for Health in Gauteng, Jack Bloom said he was astounded that a hospital CEO is not full-time at the hospital to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

“No wonder she doesn’t know that pregnant women sleep on the floor, and she blames opposition parties for staging a video that highlighted this outrageous situation.

“Doctors and nurses do not have the luxury of working from home, so how can a hospital chief set such a poor example?”

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

Bloom said he does not know of any other hospital CEO who worked from home even during the worst period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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