Complaints have been laid against Dr Nozuko Mkabayi for being absent from the facility for most of her tenure, amid an investigation launched after reports were received of pregnant women sleeping on the floor.
Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital. Picture: Facebook
JOHANNESBURG – Health ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba has recommended that Rahima Moosa Hospital CEO Dr Nozuko Mkabayi be removed from her position and a disciplinary process be instituted against her.
Complaints have been laid against Mkabayi for being absent from the ailing facility for most of her tenure.
The ombud launched an investigation into the facility over a year ago, after reports of pregnant women sleeping on the floor.
The ombud declared the facility unsafe.
READ:
VIDEO GOES VIRAL
Last year, a video that went viral of mothers-to-be sleeping on the hospital’s floor was shared by Patriotic Alliance MMC of Health and Social Development Ashley Sauls.
During a visit by then-Gauteng health MEC Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, the department said the hospital served high numbers of pregnant women, but even after repurposing 16 beds to bring the total number of antenatal beds to 56, it wasn’t enough.
With a policy to not turn back anyone, the hospital said at the time that some women were accommodated on chairs for no more than two days when the hospital operated at full capacity.
Mkabayi said the facility dealt with complex cases that needed to be referred from clinics, but added this didn’t always happen.
“We’ve got a huge number of patients, in particular that come outside the borders, and they have not gone to the clinic so there is nothing planned. They rock up at the hospital some come straight from Park Station”.
Got news at 00:30 that pregnant women at Rahima Moosa hospital are sleeping on the floor for up to 3 days, I went there immediately and sadly found it to be true. We cannot allow this to continue ????????????we must restore the HEART of service pic.twitter.com/bWrwhyqa3w
‘ Ashley Sauls I – AS1 (@AshleySauls_1st) April 1, 2022
A doctor at the hospital, Tim de Maayer, was suspended last year after speaking out on the dire state of the facility.
He was later reinstated, but it is understood he has been suspended again and a disciplinary process instituted against him.
It then emerged that Mkabayi had been working from home since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the video was shared, the health ombudsman was asked to investigate Mkabayi.
