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The Star reports that the Gauteng Department of Health has come under fire following revelations that the province’s public hospitals have only 751 ICU nurses, which is less than half of the 1,760 needed to adequately serve its population.
The crisis was laid bare in a written response by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko to an inquiry in the provincial legislature. Citing increased patient deaths, delayed surgeries, and staff burnout, Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, said that Nkomo-Ralehoko’s response raised alarm over the consequences of the ICU nurse shortage. He added that the crisis was driving experienced nurses away and deterring new ones, so putting patient safety at serious risk. He further pointed out that, ideally, Gauteng should have between 1,600 and 3,200 ICU beds for its 16 million residents – based on the guideline of 10 to 20 ICU beds per 100,000 people – meaning that the province would need 1,760 to 3,520 ICU nurses to properly staff them. Bloom also expressed concasern over the 250 unfilled ICU nurse vacancies, which meant that one in four ICU nurse positions were unfilled despite the vast need. He argued that the lack of ICU nurses was a major reason why many operations were cancelled, as emergency cases took precedence. Bloom added that it also contributed to long waiting times for surgeries, with more than 34,000 people on the waiting lists.’
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Masabata Mkwananzi at The Star
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