Rahima Moosa Mother & Child Hospital has been neglected over the years, said Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, the health ombud. The Office of the Health Ombud released its report on conditions at the Johannesburg hospital, noting that the health and dignity of patients and the wellbeing of healthcare workers were severely compromised.
The words 'dirty, filthy, and unsafe' kept cropping up when Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, the health ombud, interviewed people about the state of Rahima Moosa Mother & Child Hospital. Makgoba was speaking at a media briefing following the release of an investigation report into allegations against the hospital.
The issues were that expectant mothers were sleeping on the hospital floor, that the CEO, Dr Nozuko Mkabayi, was frequently absent from the ailing hospital, the health and dignity of patients were severely affected, and the wellbeing of healthcare workers was also severely affected.
The investigative team spent close to a year investigating the allegations and concluded that there was incontrovertible proof that confirmed the complaints. The team obtained video footage that corroborated their findings, and whistle-blower Dr Tim De Maayer contributed significantly to the report, said Makgoba.
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