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Johannesburg’s Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital has come under fire for the suspension of a clinician who blew the whistle on the dire conditions at the facility.
Dr Tim De Maayer wrote an open letter published by Daily Maverick in which he pleads with authorities to help provide quality healthcare to children at the hospital.
He was served with a suspension letter on Thursday informing him that he was on precautionary suspension due to "serious misconduct".
The DA’s Jack Bloom says the CEO is the one who should be facing suspension.
"It is utterly appalling that this dedicated doctor is victimised for standing up for the children who die needlessly because of a shortage of staff and equipment. The person who should be suspended is the hospital’s CEO Dr Nozuko Mkabayi, who has spent many days working from home instead of fixing the crisis at the hospital where pregnant women were recently found sleeping on the floor.”
This while advocacy organisation Section 27 called on the Department of Health in the province to lift the suspension.
"Our health system is in crisis and relies heavily on the hardworking staff that go beyond the call of duty to serve patients. When they speak out, it is not for glory. Instead, it is a cry for help and action. Our health system, and the people it is meant to serve, need health worker activists who will advocate for their patients. We cannot afford for health workers to be afraid to speak up", says Section27’S Sasha Stevenson.
Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi is expected to engage with hospital management.
