Violent protests in Westbury have foiled the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) plans to visit Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital to investigate the outbreak of a disease that has killed nine babies.
Community members were, in the past couple of days, engaged in protests over gang violence in the area.
Yesterday, SAHRC Gauteng manager Buang Jones said members wanted to visit the hospital after an outbreak of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) leading to the deaths of nine babies.
Jones said: “We were planning an inspection to the hospital but we have not been able to do so because the situation in Westbury is volatile.”
Yesterday, Gauteng DA spokesperson Jack Bloom said he has requested the SAHRC to do an inspection of conditions at the hospital.
Bloom said: “It is of great concern that there were 43 NEC cases at this hospital between March and July this year, but this was covered up and only became public after a report by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases.”
NEC is a medical condition where a portion of the bowel dies, and typically occurs in newborns that are either premature or otherwise unwell.
Bloom said the hospital was understaffed and overcrowded.
“The SAHRC was extremely critical of overcrowded conditions at the Thelle Mogoerane Hospital where six babies died of antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella, and should speedily investigate conditions at Rahima Moosa Hospital as well,” he said.
Jones said they had already done a preliminary inspection of the institution. “We have undertaken to assist the families to obtain redress. We have also written to the head of department (Professor Mkhululi Lukhele) to come up with a timebound action plan for the hospital and what he is doing to improve the situation at the hospital.”