'Crisis at Durban hospital'

Durban - A crisis has hit Durban's King Edward VIII Hospital with operations cancelled because of a lack of medical supplies, the IFP said on Thursday.

The party said it learned on Wednesday that more than 20 operations were scrapped in the space of two days due to the health department's radical cost-saving measures.

Surgeons did not have basic supplies such as swabs, dressings, gauze and diathermy plates.

The Inkatha Freedom Party's Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi blamed health MEC Peggy Nkonyeni for the crisis at the hospital, saying it was a result of the African National Congress's mismanagement of the public health sector under Nkonyeni.

"The IFP maintains that the health department's failures at King Edward VIII Hospital and elsewhere in the province are in spite of immense resources spent.

"The department has a budget over-expenditure of R2bn and has effectively frozen medical posts, despite staff shortages."

Grants 'unspent'

Provincial conditional grants for hospitals remained unspent in the face of crumbling infrastructure and shortage of equipment, Msibi said.

"In addition, the ANC MEC is about to stand trial on charges of corruption," she said.

Nkonyeni will stand trial on charges of corruption in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court from June 1 to 12. The charges relate to the purchase of ultra-sound equipment for KwaZulu-Natal.

Health spokesperson Leon Mbangwa said the hospital had experienced problems, but the situation would be back to normal on Friday.

He said Msibi's allegations were "malicious, untrue and seek to paint an incorrect picture of the situation at King Edward VIII Hospital".

'Supply chain management'

"There are a number of reasons but major of these include the supply chain management where orders have not been received as a result of closures during the festive season.

"Secondly, the hospital has had to prioritise emergencies over elective surgeries until the stock has been received from suppliers and other nearby hospitals."

Mbangwa said the situation was under control.

"Those who do not need surgery as an emergency were put off for a later date.

"We are liaising with suppliers to deliver supplies as an emergency.

"We are also processing all outstanding orders in order to ensure that the situation is arrested," said Mbangwa.