Following several claims of overcrowding and poor patient conditions in Gauteng hospitals, Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko reacted that there is no overcrowding crisis because she has not personally seen patients sleeping on floors. – TimesLive (10 Feb 2-26)
She criticised journalists and suggested that reporting relied on ‘assumptions’. She has also blocked journalists from hospitals. The media responded by saying: “Cameras are not the enemy of progress; they are part of public accountability”.
“Some stakeholders acknowledge that improvements have been made. Renovations have taken place. Certain clinics and hospitals are in better shape than before. But critics warn that progress in some facilities does not erase pressure in others. They also reject the idea that public concern reflects ingratitude. For many patients, the issue is immediate. It is about what happens when they are sick, frightened and dependent on a system that often cannot absorb demand.”