Deputy Speaker, my recent visit to the Free State as part of the Portfolio Committee on Health's oversight visit to the province's public hospitals was a shocking revelation.
One of the most shocking problems that we noticed was a lack of staff at most hospitals. Hospitals lacked the professional services of doctors, nurses and medical staff to run the day-to-day operations. In addition, it was clear that these public hospitals lacked basic equipment, and in some instances the broken medical equipment had not been replaced. The infrastructure of most of these hospitals had not been replaced and is in a state of disrepair.
Most of the hospitals visited were overcrowded, which meant that patients could not be accommodated. On 19 November last year the Minister of Health told hospital chief executives and managers to shape up or they will be removed. He said, "I don't think it will be an exaggeration to say that some of our hospitals are death traps in terms of infection."
Unfortunately, almost a year later I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that our hospitals are still death traps. The IFP believes that we need urgent intervention from the Minister of Health and his department before our entire public health system collapses. Thank you.