THE Eastern Cape’s seven provincially aided SA National Tuberculosis Association (Santa) hospitals are in financial dire straits because they have not received money from the provincial health department for some months.
Although it is understood that money would be made available soon, Santa institutions like Grahamstown’s Temba Hospital, are on their last legs financially and are battling to feed their desperately ill patients or pay.
Tuberculosis infection rates within the Grahamstown area are up 50% compared to the same period last year with more cases being reported daily, putting primary health care staff and Temba Hospital under unprecedented pressure.
Many TB patients are also infected with HIV, a factor which affects their immunity and TB treatment success rates. Temba Hospital Board director Jurg Richner said if the hospital was forced to send its 60 patients home it could compromise their treatment schedules and put even greater pressure on primary health care clinics and the local district hospital, Settlers.
Local church groups and other organisations rallied behind Temba on Monday. The Grahamstown Christian Council of Churches issued a call to all local communities, clinics, hospitals and schools to help collect funds to ”ease the plight” of people in the hospital.
The Council also called on people to join a march on May 19 to highlight the plight of the hospitals. – Sapa