by Jack Bloom MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC
I am very pleased that the x-ray machine at the Lillian Ngoyi Health Centre in Soweto has been repaired after my visit there last month.
The machine at this provincial clinic was out of order for more than a month, which meant that about 40 patients a day could not get a quick diagnosis with x-rays.
Many patients had to come back a number of times to get an x-ray.
It is inexcusable that this machine was out of order for so long.
It is one of many examples of slow repairs or replacements of broken machines in hospitals and clinics.
The Gauteng Health Department needs to drastically improve the maintenance of all critical medical equipment.