Question NW530 to the Minister of Health
17 March 2023 - NW530
Thembekwayo, Dr S to ask the Minister of Health
Whether he has been informed of the alleged practice of the Witbank TB Specialised Hospital, in the Nkangala region of Mpumalanga, of refusing to treat newly diagnosed TB patients and directing them to Bongani Regional Hospital; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what steps has he taken to ensure that the hospital is able to provide treatment to everyone who goes to it for treatment?
Reply:
No, I was not aware of any refusal by the Witbank TB Specialised Hospital to treat newly diagnosed TB patients and directing them to Bongani Regional Hospital.
The Mpumalanga Province has been reorganising the service platform, due to demands in the Province. This has resulted in the repurposing of Witbank TB Specialised Hospital to be the internal medicine unit to support Witbank Provincial hospital. The repurposing of the hospitals means that Bongani Hospital is the new DR-TB referral site to take over the clinical management of complicated DR-TB patients for the entire province. All district hospitals are still responsible for the management of the DS-TB patients.
END.