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The Eastern Cape Health Department has dismissed a leaked letter claiming that no doctors would be on call at the Oliver and Reginald Tambo District Hospital in Mbizana due an acute shortage.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Department said there are 16 doctors at the hospital and "contrary to the document", there are enough doctors for the facility.
"We want to categorically state that the Mbizana community will continue to receive quality healthcare services from the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo District Hospital," said communications director, Siyanda Manana.
He said in anticipation of the facility becoming a regional hospital in the future, the Department of Health has been recruiting medical officers to start from 1 February.
Manana also warned that "appropriate action" will be taken against anyone found to be responsible for the malicious document that threatens to cause reputational damage to the Eastern Cape Department of Health.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director General for Clinical Services, Dr Mthandeki Xamlashe, said the CEO, in whose name the letter was issued, has distanced himself from the document.
He told the Moneyweb at Midday podcast that he was waiting for his confirmation in writing.
Dr Xamlashe also clarified the department's protocol's saying their definition of "fake news" starts with any official who writes a document without delegation or authority to do so.
He also highlighted that they have communication protocols in place like in any other organisation within the department in terms of dealing with the general public on any operational issues.
"For any document to be authentic it must adhere to those two conditions. This one doesn't, therefore it is fake from our perspective," he said.
Dr Xamalashe said the real issue at the hospital is the growing demand for services since the government introduced specialists to that facility.
"The government is in the process of upgrading that facility to become a regional hospital and a lot of interventions have been put in place and support programmes have been introduced," he said.
Dr Xamlashe said they were also employing eight medical officers on top of the 16 that are already there as "part of upgrading the hospital".
"The other issues that are really getting into the space are just there to contaminate our very good programme that was launched by the Honourable Premier and our MEC, and supported by our HOD," he said.
