By OBAKENG MAJE

The North West Department of Health said it has noted with serious concern allegations currently circulating on social media platforms saying there shortage of food in hospitals. The department said the information goes on to call on families of patients to go to hospitals to take their patients on the basis of the alleged shortage of food.

The North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane said, they wish to strongly condemn this misinformed and ill-conceived call, which violates patients’s rights and seeks to cause confusion and panic in public health facilities. Lekgethwane said, while the misinformation seeks to paint a picture of total and widespread shortage of food, the department can only confirm that, a quick investigation on the matter revealed that the quantity of food was the only issue of concern.

“It turned out that some of the items of food were missing from the normal meals at Lehurutshe-Zeerust Hospital Complex, but the management quickly identified this and intervened. This challenge has been traced to inadequate supplies from the contracted service provider.

“However, the hospital was quickly authorised to procure the food items on emergency basis. The other hospitals, which were also cited in some of the social media posts including Klerksdorp/Tshepong and Witrand, all implemented an emergency procurement to beef up the food stock levels,” he said.

Lekgethwane further said the members of the public, are advice to report any issue of concern to the department for intervention before causing public panic on essential services in health facilities.

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