DURBAN - Residents of Ulundi in northern KwaZulu-Natal are concerned about the planned closure of St Francis Hospital.
The hospital was thrust into the spotlight after residents and about 120 staff held a protest, on Friday, outside the hospital demanding answers from the KZN Department of Health (DoH).
According to the DoH website, the St Francis Hospital, built in 1936 by Roman Catholic missionaries, is classified as a Specialised District Psychiatric Hospital. The hospital has 79 authorised beds.
Ward councillor Mzwandile Sibiya said he was taken aback by the department’s action to take away much-needed services like health care from the hospital.
“There was no consultation with local leaders and amakhosi. We really do not understand why our government would close down a hospital that is serving more than 50 000 people from seven wards. We need to know what is happening,” Sibiya said.
Staff representative Buhlebuyeza Mathabela said the phasing out of services began in 2013. He said health officials said the department wanted to convert the hospital into a psychiatric centre, which never happened.
Mathabela further said that since 2017 the department had been transferring resources to Nkonjeni Hospital, including doctors, without consulting the unions, and that, since then, 120 staff had become redundant.
He said the government refurbished the hospital in 2020 at a cost of R56 million but the hospital was “still a white elephant”.
Zululand District Municipality mayor Thulasizwe Buthelezi accused the government of not taking the rural community’s health seriously.
The municipality’s Community Services general manager, Sibongiseni Msiya, accepted the memorandum from the protesting staff. He said the municipality was never consulted about the decision and would convene a meeting with district health officials.
Msiya said the most affected people were those from Mashona and Wela villages, who would have to take two minibus taxis to get to Nkonjeni Hospital.
Spokesperson for the KZN Department of Health Ntokozo Maphisa said: "At this stage, the department will not be closing the facility. Before taking any major decision, such as the closure of any facility, the department embarks on a wide-scale consultative process with all affected stakeholders, particularly organised labour, staff and the community. Until that happens, no facility will be closed."
Daily News