Statement issued by Thandi Nontenja: UDEMWO Secretary General
The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) is disturbed by the news of a possible risk of babies going blind due to power outage at one of the biggest hospitals in Africa, Chris Hani Baragwanath.
It is with great sadness that such an unfortunate event is not taken serious by the health authorities instead the Department of Health in Gauteng is busy playing hide and seek while the health of those innocent babies is at risk of being permanently blind. The power outage could have been avoided.
Government has the money for all the lavish lifestyle for the leaders but the important and basic things as health are being taken for granted. Millions of rands are wasted in building and upgrading Nkandla, funding private jet for president while the masses are suffering.
UDEMWO is calling upon Gauteng Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu to a make swift intervention on this problem and other challenges that Gauteng hospitals are faced with.
This unfortunate incident adds up to all the misery in health facilities in that province. It has been forever since the Department Of Health was confronted with issues of health such as community members sleeping on the floors at health facilities while others lost lives.
What is even sad to this is the fact that the Department of Health in Gauteng is denying the problem to ever exist in that hospital.
As UDEMWO, we say more could be done to curb this problem and other problems that hospitals are facing. An immediate action must be made by Health authorities to save these innocent babies.
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