The facility is one of many collapsing hospitals in the province, neglected by leaders who don’t care about the livelihood of the people who vote for them as they rely on private hospitals whenever they get sick.
The SA Human Rights Commission has written to the DA informing them that they will investigate the matter of a woman who was forced to give birth in a toilet at the Mapulaneng hospital, leader Jane Sithole has said.
The Bushbuckridge woman gave birth at the toilet after being allegedly told the labour unit’s wards didn’t have beds.
Sithole said they welcome the commission’s decision to investigate the complaint they laid in June 2020.
Sithole said while the country is busy fighting the Covid-19 virus the violations of humans rights under “horrific conditions” should not be ignored.
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Sithole said the DA was told about the “horrific conditions” in Mapulaneng hospital’s labour ward as well as allegations that there was no water in the hospital, “and some wards have no beds for women who are in labour”.
“There are also reports that nurses verbally abuse patients.
“The most concerning complaint was that a patient allegedly gave birth in the toilets at the hospital. Instead of her being helped, the nurses apparently told her to come out with the baby because they don’t deliver babies in toilets.
“The abuse of pregnant women by health workers must be condemned,” Sithole said.
She said the DA submitted “all the evidence” to the commission, which included photos.
The DA also reported that patients were forced to fetch their own water outside the JoJo tanks.
“Patients then bath with cold water because the hospital does not have hot water.
“Another concern is Mapulaneng hospital registered its first Covid-19 case in April and currently there is no social distancing because all pregnant women are packed in one room,” she said.
(edited by MLM)
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