Frustrated MPs grilled Eastern Cape health officials who put forward the province’s Covid-19 challenges with no clear timeframes on how the teething problems will be resolved.

• MPs were left frustrated after Eastern Cape health officials presented the province’s Covid-19 challenges without giving timeframes.
• The EFF said the province’s presentation was frustrating.
• The DA believes the department does not have any more time to address the challenges.

Frustrated MPs grilled Eastern Cape health officials who put forward the province’s Covid-19 challenges with no clear timeframes on how the teething problems will be resolved.
A provincial project management unit led by Dr Sibongile Zungu presented the province’s Covid-19 challenges during a sitting of Parliament’s Health Committee on Wednesday.
Shortly after the briefing, MPs questioned the department on why no clear timeframes were presented.
The province has seen shortages of critical-care beds, ventilators and oxygen, while conditions in some hospitals have deteriorated.
ANC MP Kenneth Leonard Jacobs said it was clear there were challenges in the Eastern Cape health department.
“It is clear that there is an intervention from the ministry and from the national Department of Health. It is also clear that we are at a little bit of a late stage of trying to save lives in the Eastern Cape. Where would we get the healthcare professional?
“The Eastern Cape has always been at the back end for a number of years in terms of recruitment of healthcare professionals. Even though we are putting the field hospitals together, there has to be a plan to get the necessary healthcare professionals,” he added.
DA MP Evelyn Wilson said health care in the Eastern Cape was in a crisis.
“At present, the Eastern Cape has got one ambulance per 21 000km in the province. You have time to talk about moving patients between hospitals and districts, but you have no ambulances do that. The most frustrating part of it is that you are talking about fast-tracking oxygen supply.
“From the day that this pandemic broke out, one of the things everyone knew was that this attacks the lungs and the most critical part of dealing with a patient, who has got Covid-19, is the supply of oxygen. And now in the middle of the surge, when we have a major crisis, you are only now talking about fast-tracking oxygen. I am very disturbed,” she added.
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EFF MP Naledi Chirwa said the presentation was more frustrating than relieving.
“We keep hearing plans and intention to implement. But there is nothing really happening if we are being honest.
“We not getting dates, which means we cannot hold you accountable. When will this plan come to fruition, when will the oxygen increase of capacity actually materialise? So far, all we have is that you have plans, but we can’t hold you accountable,” she added.
DA MP Siviwe Gwarube said: “We can appreciate the work that is now being attempted to being done by the national team. The reality is that, we are now at this stage of the provincial response and yet there are still things that are yet to be done.
“While Dr Zungu went to great detail in explaining to us what still needs to be done and what needs approval, we are still not quite clear as to when this is going to be done”.
There have also been calls by the DA to place the department under administration, but Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said all provinces were experiencing problems.
“Every province has needed assistance; every province has needed support. I have sent reinforcements to every province … to the Free State, Western Cape, to Gauteng.
“Everyone needed assistance. We are dealing with a unique situation that none of us were ready to deal with. The Eastern Cape is no different to the rest of the country. They have challenges, but so does the rest of the country,” he added.