By Anita Dangazele
- Bizana residents want their 125-year-old hospital closed because it’s falling apart and doesn’t have enough doctors and nurses.
- The health department promises to fix the problems but the community wants action now.
People in Bizana, Eastern Cape, say their hospital is so old and broken it needs to be closed down.
The Greenville Hospital was built by missionaries in 1900. Now, 125 years later, its walls are cracking, the paint is peeling off, and the grass grows wild around it.
Angry residents protested on Tuesday, saying the hospital doesn’t have enough doctors and is falling apart. They also worry about safety because there are no security guards.
Greenville Hospital board chairperson Lindile Zulu told Scrolla.Africa the staff shortage is severe.
“There is no CEO, no matrons, no chief medical officers. There are supposed to be about 15 porters, but there’s only one. The list of problems is endless,” said Zulu.
The board has tried many times to meet with provincial health officials about these problems. But they couldn’t afford the trip to see the MEC.
Eastern Cape Health spokesperson Siyanda Manana says the hospital won’t close.
“The hospital’s management met with community members to discuss these issues, including staff shortages and the state of the building. The community then abandoned their plans to shut it down,” said Manana.
He said they know about the problems and are working to fix them.
Zulu said they will meet with health officials soon. But if nothing changes quickly, the community will again demand that the hospital close.
Pictured above: Inside the Greenville Hospital in Bizana, Eastern Cape.
Source: Facebook
