File
The Health Department and DA MP, Siviwe Gwarube, were engaged in a war of words on Friday over the Eastern Cape’s R10m scooter project.
Addressing the media in Gauteng today, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, reiterated that the Eastern Cape scooter project is not a replacement for ambulances. Instead, it was meant to broaden access to primary health care in the most remote areas of that province.
Mkhize, responding to a Parliamentary question from Democratic Alliance MP Siviwe Gwarube, said the motorbikes do not meet the criteria to transport the sick.
This issue has since caused a furore after Gwarube's comments on social media, that the Minister and Eastern Cape Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba had made contradictory statements on the matter.
The Department hit back on Friday, with the spokesperson, Dr Lwazi Manzi, saying that “Gwarube’s sensationalism has caused unnecessary confusion and we now wish to set the record straight.”
“The purpose of this project by ECDOH is mainly for widening access to primary health care and delivering of chronic medicine for the most remote areas of the Eastern Cape province,” Mkhize said.
The initiative's aim is for health workers to reach far-flung areas where patients end up being neglected because of the road infrastructure, as part of rolling out primary healthcare.
“The Minister commended this initiative and gladly agreed to participate in its launch. The Minister also issued a statement that was accompanied by the MEC’s speech seeking to give clarity on the exact use of the motorbikes and that it was not intended to replace an ambulance.
“It is the Minister who clearly and unequivocally stated that while he fully supports the intended use of the motorbikes, these motorbikes do not meet basic Emergency Medical Services protocols. This he did a month ago,” Manzi said.
“In fact on the very same day, the MEC also showcased 16 mobile clinics that can also be ambulances. These are fully equipped ambulances, which were parked right next to the motorbikes.”
The Health Department said it would not shy away from embracing initiatives that seek to offer health services to people, especially those who are marginalised because of their race and the areas they live in.
But, Gwarube hit back at the Department on Friday, saying that the Health Minister’s attack on the party for drawing attention to the suitability of the scooters as ambulance, was an outright attempt by him and the Department to evade accountability.
“As the official opposition, the DA has a responsibility to hold the government to account and to draw attention to areas where they are failing. This is exactly what the DA has done and we will not be relegated to a passive opposition because of the ANC’s inherent disdain for accountability,” she said.
“However Minister Mkhize tries to spin this, the facts are that these inadequate were intended to transport patients and was launched with much fanfare by Eastern Cape Health Authorities including the Minister himself.”
Gwarube said now that the Minister and his Department have “caught in a contradiction” he is attempting to divert the public’s attention away by launching a personal attack.
(Source:SANew.gov.za with additional reporting by Algoa FM News)
