The North West Health Department says plans are at an advanced stage to upgrade the Itsoseng Community Health Centre (CHC) into a district hospital.

This comes after a decision was taken to permanently close the Thusong District Hospital due to safety concerns following the detection of underground heat from the pharmacy’s floor.

“Following this decision, Itsoseng Community Health Centre was always prepared in advance to cater for some hospital services because the department foresaw that Thusong District Hospital will not be sustainable as a facility in the near future,” said North West Health MEC, Madoda Sambatha, on Tuesday.

The MEC confirmed that the assessment of the hospital has been done, which inspected the mysterious heat and condition of the entire hospital infrastructure.

This is after the MEC and Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, visited Thusong District Hospital on 14 January 2022.

“The issue of unexplainable heat emissions, which were coming from the pharmaceutical wing of the hospital and saw temperatures within the facility reaching a record high of 56.5 degrees Celsius, were confirmed to be true and posed an immediate danger to both the patients and the employees of the department,” Sambatha said.  

He said the infrastructure conditions were also found to be in total disrepair, despite efforts to maintain the hospital due to dolomitic soil, which is causing major structural defects and cracks.

“It is for this reason that the MEC took a decision and ordered the immediate evacuation of patients and closure of the facility to protect the lives of patients and employees,” Sambatha’s office said.  

The MEC also apologised to the community for poor communication, which led to confusion amongst patients and staff.

“The delay in proceeding with decommissioning was to ensure proper consultation and see if some of the materials like windows, doors and roofing material cannot be salvaged and donated to other social support structures and organisations,” his office said.

The department has stressed that Thusong District Hospital was not neglected.

Contingency plans

 A decision has been taken to permanently close the facility.

The department said some patients were immediately moved to Itsoseng CHC, while others are now accommodated at the General Delarey Hospital in Lichtenburg.

Meanwhile, the primary healthcare services have been relocated to the Itsoseng CHC, while a mobile clinic has been stationed at Sheila village.

An installation of an oxygen reticulation is currently in progress at Itsoseng CHC.

In addition, the services of a sonographer, social worker and dietetics are rendered daily from Itsoseng CHC.

According to the department, other patients have been referred to General De La Rey Hospital for X-rays, while level two medicines are shared between Itsoseng CHC and General De La Rey, where the equipment is transported between the two facilities and delivery takes place twice a week.

In addition, the department said a decommissioning task team has been appointed to provide strategic leadership to the process through the provision of support and oversight.

“The province is tracking progress on the finalisation by the National Department of Health to gazette the Itsoseng CHC,” the department said, adding that approval to delist Thusong Hospital as an organisational unit has been received.

Meanwhile, the National Department of Health has issued Itsoseng CHC with a pharmacy licence.

Payment has to the South African Pharmacy Council been effected to inspect the pharmacy and award the final pharmacy licence.

Patients’ records have been relocated to the upcoming Itsoseng District Hospital, shelves have been installed, and sorting and filling are completed.

Source: South African Government News Agency