One doctor expected to treat 120,000 people

The filling of vacancies was frozen when the provincial treasury took over administration of the Eastern Cape health department in December 2011.

Two years ago, the hospital employed 10 doctors.

Now, only a single Dutch woman looks after the 180-bed hospital, with the help of only two clinical associates, who are less qualified than nurses.

A frustrated Pillay said yesterday he was "embarrassed" about the lack of doctors in the Eastern Cape.

"In 2009, when I left parliament, I was given an assurance that the R2.8bn deficit of the Eastern Cape health department would be paid over three years. These promises were made verbally," Pillay said.

He says that R3.2bn was taken out of the health budget to repay debt from before 2009.

"I couldn't make the appointments [to the frozen posts], and they've embarrassed me."

According to Pillay, the Legal Resource Centre and advocacy group Section27 were in negotiations with the province's premier, Noxolo Kiviet, to resolve the shortage.

"The two doctors who were supposed to have started in February were now expected to join the hospital next month," he said.

In 2010, patients at Madwaleni could have Caesarian sections at any time and also had access to a rural anti-retroviral programme.

However, these services are no longer offered and it is unclear what happens when patients need emergency treatment when the only doctor is off duty.

The doctor at Madwaleni, Inge Koppelaar, has declined to comment.

Dr Karl le Roux, of the Rural Doctors' Association of South Africa, who works at nearby Zithulele hospital, said his hospital was now under-staffed as people from around Madwaleni were forced to come there - 27km away - for help.

Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge.