Page 28 - DPSA_SDR Vol 12 No.2 2019

NORTH WEST INTERVENTION

How SANDF helped restore

health services in Mahikeng

By S Sgt Lebogang Tlhaole and AB Samuel Ramonyai - Photos by S Sgt Lebogang Tlhaole

Following several interdepart-
mental meetings between
the Department of Defence
and Military Veterans and the
Department of Health, it was
resolved that the SA National
Defence Force (SANDF) should
deploy its military health
practitioners in an effort to
restore health services in the
Mahikeng Provincial Hospital,
as health services were close to
collapsing amid ongoing labour
action.

The protests also resulted in major
disruptions to the supply of medicine to Maj (Dr) Bhekisizwe Mtshali, Emergency Medicine Practitioner from 1 Military Hospital,
clinics and hospitals across the North and his professional medical team deployed at Mahikeng Provincial Hospital.
West province since the pharmaceutical
depot in Mahikeng was closed as part of access to the hospital for patients. This our best by structuring ourselves in a
the protests. The medical supplies of the were done to ensure that the lives of way that we can do something for our
Hospital were depleted and there were the most vulnerable were preserved, country and particularly this province.”
no medical apparatus. The deployment who relied heavily on government
of military health practitioners was to healthcare services and ensured that His role as Emergency Medicine
alleviate the plight of affected citizens of their Constitutional rights to life-saving Practitioner was to oversee all the
the province who were bearing the brunt healthcare were protected. clinical issues, especially those of the
of the labour action. doctors. He ensured that every clinical
Remarkably, Maj (Dr) Bhekisizwe department had a plan in place. Maj
A total of 104 SA Military Health Service Mtshali, an Emergency Medicine (Dr) Mtshali always made sure that the
(SAMHS) members were deployed to Practitioner from 1 Military Hospital, wards were running smoothly. He said
Mahikeng Provincial Hospital. These said since the depot was protected by that he would personally make sure that
included 19 Medical Officials according 10 SA Infantry Battalion (10 SAI Bn), the patients’ lives were not compromised in
to their specialist fields, a Pharmacist, chronic medication and other medical any way.
five Pharmacy Assistants, 64 Nurses, supplies were successfully managed
eleven Operational Emergency Care and distributed. Maj (Dr) Mtshali said he was grateful
Practitioners, a Human Resource official, to be given an opportunity of a life
two bus drivers and the Commander of Maj (Dr) Mtshali said: “The involvement time. He was appreciative to the Chief
the medical task group. In addition, 114 of the SANDF in its first 24 hours has of the SANDF, Gen Solly Shoke, for
members from 10 SA Infantry Battalion seen soldiers successfully delivering 21 granting permission to him and his team
were deployed to safeguard the area. newborn babies, including six Caesarean of professionals to serve the nation.
births. The intervention of the SANDF He believed that they were not doing
Since their arrival at the Mahikeng was done to keep the health services anybody any favour - they were just
Provincial Hospital, the SANDF has of the province operational since the doing what they were signed up for.
stabilised security within the hospital, staffed medical officials at the Mahikeng
ensured successful distribution of Provincial Hospital were forced to down In agreement with Maj Mtshali, CO (Dr)
medical products by the depot to tools. When we arrived here we had to Paliso Keta from 3 Military Hospital,
healthcare facilities and secured be hands on right away. We had to try Anaesthesia Department, said that

26 SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW | Volume 12 No.2 of 2019