She says the safety and protection of workers in that hospital are of great importance to them and that it is non-negotiable.

OFM News previously reported the provincial Health Department indicated that the security cluster was already on the ground to assess the security situation with the hopes of making sure that safety and the protection of nurses and doctors are strengthened.

This after a medical intern bit off most of a man's tongue during an alleged attempted rape while the intern was on duty and a doctor was robbed at gunpoint at the hospital's main entrance at roughly 05:15. Ntombela expressed her disappointment with the incidents and further called the woman a hero for biting the perpetrators’ tongue in defense.

During her State of the Province Address (Sona) Ntombela said the health and wealth are two sides of the same coin and that the development of the nation is connected to good health. “Our pledge to improve healthcare is proceeding. I said in February in this House that we will appoint 457 more doctors and 1 710 more nurses.”

She says in the past three months, the provincial government appointed 101 doctors and 169 nurses. “We also appointed an additional 135 emergency care staff members.” Ntombela said another 229 doctors and 303 nurses will be appointed by October. The remaining healthcare workers will be appointed by the beginning of the next financial year.

“In total, 117 medical students from Cuba have been placed in various universities in the country to finalise their qualifications. Next month we will receive another 43 students and we will place them in different universities,” she further said. “We are on course to open the Fezi Ngubentombi Hospital and Mafube Hospital in this financial year. Major improvements at the Parys Hospital and the Moroka Hospital are also on track and progress include improvements and upgrades of clinics as stated in the February State of the Province Address,” she concluded.

OFM News