KZN Health MEC pleased with return to normal working conditions at hospitals, community health centres and clinics; province edges closer to 1 million vaccinations

21 JULY 2021

KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Ms Nomagugu Simelane has re-iterated the need for communities to take full ownership of health facilities in their communities, adding that when such facilities get vandalised, it is ordinary people – including the poor – who suffer the most, and may end up dying.

The MEC was speaking after visiting Imbalenhle Community Health Care (CHC) and KwaPata Clinic, in Pietermaritzburg yesterday, during one of a series of inspections to assess the damage caused by the social unrest that swept through parts of the province last week.

While Imbalenhle CHC was spared any damage, KwaPata Clinic had one of its vehicles' windows smashed and three tyres removed – making it join a list of hospitals and clinics that were attacked and vandalised.

"We'd like to emphasise that communities need to protect health facilities from acts of vandalism and protect them. They also need to protect our staff, and not block them from going to work, because lives get lost that way," said MEC Simelane.

Referring to the general state of health facilities in the province, the MEC said: “We are quite satisfied with the gradual return to normal working conditions at health facilities throughout the province. We are still calculating the real costs of the damage, but we are pleased that most staff have returned to work. Yes, the queues are a bit longer than usual, but they will become shorter as more people get seen.

"The supply of auxiliary services such as food, oxygen and fuel continues to run smoothly, and our Emergency Medical Services are up and running. So are our Forensic Pathology Services."

"We are also happy that the vast majority of COVID – 19 vaccination sites (192 sites) are now up and running," said the MEC.

The province has now vaccinated a total of 986 311 people, including health workers; educators; people aged 50 and above. A total of 217 511 people aged 35 have been registered on the Electronic Vaccine Data System, and are scheduled to start getting vaccinated on 01 August 2021.

The province has, meanwhile, registered 1007 new COVID – 19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 377 395. There are currently 15 695 active cases, while the 47 new deaths were registered during this latest 24-hour period. This brings the total number of fatalities to 11 175 deaths, with 349 031 recoveries.

The province currently has 1 814 patients admitted in both private (n=1 004, 55%) and public (n=810, 45%) hospitals.

ENDS Issued by the KZN Department of Health