Through My Eyes

"The problem with following the science, is that the science follows the money."

~ Russell Brand

You're doing what? Did I hear this right?

Is Alberlito Hospital in Ballito really removing and closing paediatric section, including ten doctors' practices?

That can't be right.

Well it is so, and according to a small press release, which was WhatsApp'ed to me by an old media colleague; this is the content of that message.

?It has been brought to our attention that Netcare head office has made a decision that they are closing all child medical facilities at Netcare Alberlito effective January 2023. Their rationale is that it's more financially viable to treat adult patients and surgeries only.

This means that all gynaecologists & paediatric doctors, including the likes of Dr Roberts, Dr Mthetwa and Prof van Niekerk, have been given notice that their lease will not be renewed in January 2023.

It also means that us Ballito residents will have no hospital facilities for our children.?The WhatsApp continues. ?There are two routes to fight this decision:

• Lobby government as they reportedly made a new ruling that a hospital license does not require the hospital to care for children or mothers where it previously did.
• Public outcry to Netcare Head Office by emailing them on customer.service@netcare.co.za.

Remember bad things can only happen when good people stand by and do nothing. Everyone always thinks that someone else will do something with the result that nothing happens.

Ballito friends, let's stand up and speak up for our children. Please share this message far and wide and get Netcare and government to reassess their strategy of protecting profit over people."

My heart crumbled as I read this. All the efforts of the GBV, anti spousal and woman and child abuse movements, suddenly seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. Honestly, we are talking about private health care. Health care that most of us are spending at least 20-30% of our hard earned money on.

It also brings our attention to the alleged motivation, the fantastically lucrative psychiatric and addiction care systems The demand for these services have gone through the roof in recent years.

While my own children are out the house, and I most likely will not be seeking their services anytime soon, I am outraged and stand in solidarity with the doctors, who were so harshly brushed aside to make way for a more lucrative tenant.

Akeso, which is part of the Netcare Group, will be taking over the leases. They offer specialised inpatient treatment of adults andadolescents for a range of psychiatric, psychological and addictive conditions. These include mood disorders, anxiety and mild forms of psychosis; addiction linked to mood disorders or anxiety; general adolescent disorders and in many instances adolescents who are abusing alcohol or other addictive substances; adults and adolescents with eating disorders; postnatal depression and dementia.* (*quoted from their website).

Of course we cannot dispute the need for Akeso in our coastal village as more and more people suffer with psychiatric, psychological and addictive conditions (around 10% of our population according to the Netcare statement), but couldn't we make our hospital more inclusive? Where is the harm in keeping some of the doctors to ensure that the hospital caters for every member of our community?