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The South African Medical Association said it remained alarmed at "the severe lack of leadership in the Eastern Cape Department of Health" which it says is compounding problems in the delivery of healthcare in the province.
"The fact that almost all critical posts at the institutional and provincial level have no permanently employed leaders is of great concern," said SAMA's Dr Simonia Magardie.
She sid this was placing enormous strain on already overworked doctors, and insufficiently resourced hospitals.
"SAMA notes that while provincial Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba says there are enough beds in provincial hospitals to cope with demand, she is providing no clarity on future funding for doctors and nurses to care for patients who occupy those beds," Magardie said.
"Having available beds is not enough, the beds need to be serviced by adequately equipped staff and resources."
The SA Medical Association said the lack of funded posts puts a significant strain on doctors and healthcare workers were are exhausted, stressed and frustrated.
"This situation seems at odds with what the government is saying about the coronavirus in the province," Dr Margadie said.
SAMA said in addition to recruiting, and retaining qualified doctors and nurses, there is a dire need to offer support to these critical health workers by providing psychologists and social workers to debrief them on a regular basis.
Added to this is an inability among acting heads of hospitals to keep staff morale at acceptable levels, she said.
"Officials in ongoing acting leadership positions, as well as the lack of accountability, is leading to abuse of the health system. A good example is Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth which has had multiple Acting CEOs the past three years."
"The fact that many decisions have to be made centrally at the Provincial Cost Containment Centre in Bisho also means that hospitals and their CEOs are not able to respond quickly to staffing, equipment and other needs," SAMA said.
Dr Margadie said that the SA Medical Association believes that "urgent intervention is needed in the Eastern Cape as the situation with medical care provision has already gone beyond a critical point. Unless this intervention is made with sufficient political will to ensure a successful turnaround, the problems with healthcare in the province will undoubtedly multiply."
SAMA is supporting calls by Doctors Without Borders for doctors to assist at Livingstone Hospital and urges all its members to seriously consider providing their services to help deal, on a short-term basis, with the growing crisis at this hospital, and indeed throughout the province.
