Food cuts at George Mukhari Hospital

Patients at the George Mukhari Hospital in north west Gauteng are getting a very restricted diet because unpaid suppliers are refusing to deliver certain foods.

They rarely get meat, fruit or vegetables, and there is no sugar. Bread is often short.

Some patients who should get a special diet because of their medical condition are only getting whatever food is available.

This is a very unsatisfactory situation.

It shows that the Gauteng Health Department is not keeping its promise that all hospital suppliers are paid in good time.

It is distressing that a financial administrator has still not been appointed to oversee the department even though Gauteng Finance MEC Mandla Nkomfe announced that this would happen in December last year. He said that he would invoke section 18 of the Public Finance Management Act, giving himself powers over the health department s finances.

Meanwhile, the health of patients suffers because of inadequate nutrition.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesperson, April 22 2013

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