The Eastern Cape Health Department recently announced a comprehensive R64 million investment plan for Dora Nginza Hospital, aimed at establishing a state-of-the-art maternity ward and a centre of excellence for cerebral palsy treatment.
The announcement came as part of a broader medico-legal strategy to address the department’s mounting legal challenges whilst improving patient care across the province.
EC Health Department spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, explained that the project would transform healthcare delivery at the facility.
“The urgent improvements will include enhanced security features and a significant expansion of the maternity ward,” said Kupelo. “We are adding more beds and consultation rooms, specifically to eliminate the overflow of pregnant women that has plagued the facility for years.”
According to Kupelo, the department had been grappling with a significant challenge of medico-legal claims amounting to over R40 billion for the past decade, with lawyers particularly targeting cases related to children born with cerebral palsy due to perceived medical negligence during delivery.
“These claims have created a substantial contingent liability, imposing a severe financial strain of over R3 billion on our department,” Kupelo explained. “The new centres of excellence represent our strategic response to this crisis.”
The department’s strategy involved establishing specialised centres across the province to provide medical care for children born with cerebral palsy.
The identified hospitals for this intervention included Madzikane ka Zulu in KwaBhaca, Nelson Mandela Academic in Mthatha, Cecilia Makhiwane in Mdantsane, Dora Nginza in Gqeberha, Butterworth, Frontier, Aliwal North, Uitenhage Provincial, Andries Vosloo and St Elizabeth.
At Dora Nginza Hospital specifically, the planned upgrades would transform blocks A and B into a fully-fledged Cerebral Palsy Unit of excellence.
“These strategic measures aim to mitigate our medico-legal challenges by significantly improving the quality of care and support provided to affected patients and their families,” Kupelo stated.
The spokesperson emphasised that the envisaged improvements would reduce the chances of birth injuries by providing immediate specialised services, including audiology, speech therapy, psychotherapy, occupational therapy, social workers and dietetics support.
“The centre will offer comprehensive, multidisciplinary care to children with cerebral palsy through an integrated approach that aims to optimise patient outcomes, potentially reducing the severity of disabilities and improving quality of life,” said Kupelo.
He added that by delivering high-quality, specialised care, the department would demonstrate its commitment to best practices, thereby reducing instances of alleged medical negligence and strengthening its defence against future medico-legal claims.
The establishment of these dedicated centres signified a proactive shift from merely reacting to legal claims to proactively managing and rehabilitating patients with cerebral palsy. Early and appropriate intervention through these specialised services could prevent further complications, minimise long-term care needs, and potentially reduce the quantum of future medico-legal claims.
“These state-of-the-art specialised centres will come with improved systems for patient assessment, treatment planning, and record-keeping,” Kupelo noted.
“Detailed and accurate medical records are crucial in defending against medico-legal claims.”
Health MEC, Ntandokazi Capa, believes that by establishing dedicated centres with clear protocols for care, the department will enhance accountability and transparency, making it easier to demonstrate that appropriate care is being provided. “It has been established that a significant number of medico-legal claims for cerebral palsy arise from alleged negligence during labour and delivery,” she said.
The MEC was adamant that while these centres primarily focused on post-birth care, their existence as “Centres of Excellence” would also drive improvements in overall maternal and child healthcare practices within hospitals, aiming to reduce the incidence of birth injuries.
“The investment in specialised care signals our commitment to addressing the underlying issues that contribute to the haemorrhage of funds meant for patient care in our department,” Kupelo added.
He described the inclusion of “Family Visitors’ Areas” and services from Social Workers as a significant step in the right direction, recognising the broader impact of cerebral palsy on affected families.
“This bold step by the department will help families cope with the challenges, potentially fostering a more collaborative relationship with the healthcare system and reducing the likelihood of them pursuing litigation due to frustration or a perceived lack of adequate care,” Kupelo concluded.
