Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi donated wheelchairs during an unannounced oversight visit to the Prince Mshiyeni Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday morning.
During his visit, Minister Buthelezi received a briefing on the hospital’s operations and challenges from the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Gabriel Khawula, and management. The 1200-bed facility situated in the uMlazi township, southwest of Durban, functions as a Level 2 regional hospital offering primary and secondary healthcare services which include ophthalmology, radiology, and orthopaedics. Other services include dermatology, a 24-hour Thuthuzela Care Centre for victims of gender based violence, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) treatment.
Mr. Khawula listed challenges such as staff shortages, increased workload, vehicle theft, and the theft of medical equipment as hindrances to effective service delivery. To ease on this burden, the Minister, through the generosity of the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS), donated wheelchairs to the hospital to assist patients with mobility challenges.
Dr. Nomzamo Tutu, chairperson of the GEMS board, said, “we hope that with these wheelchairs, patients suffering mobility challenges will be able to live normal lives.”
Handing over the wheelchairs to the hospital CEO, Minister Buthelezi, said, “I am pleased to hand over these wheelchairs to the hospital. This is more than a donation, but an expression of our commitment towards patient-centred service delivery. We hope that these wheelchairs will serve as a reminder that small interventions can make a big difference in people’s lives.”
Minister Buthelezi also used the platform to highlight the importance of unannounced visits. He said, “such visits help us to gain direct insights from staff and citizens on the ground and help to identify gaps, inform policy choices while upholding accountability.”
The Minister concluded his visit by walking through the hospital, inspecting the infrastructure as well as interacting with citizens in the waiting queues.
