Media Statement on Release of Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Report

Wednesday 22nd March , 2023

INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS AGAINST RAHIMA MOOSA MOTHER AND CHILD
HOSPITAL

The Office of the Health Ombud (OHO) releases a report detailing the findings and
recommendations of an investigation into allegations against Rahima Moosa Mother and Child
Hospital (RMMCH) in Gauteng Province. The report of the Ombud is issued in terms of Section
81A (11) of the National Health Amendment Act (NHAA), 12 of 2013, which gives the Ombud
the powers to consider, investigate and dispose of the complaint relating to breaches of the
norms and standards in a fair, economical and expeditious manner.
The investigation was undertaken following a complaint lodged by Hon. Haseenabanu Ismail
(Hon. H Ismail), a Member of Parliament’s Health Portfolio Committee on 06 April 2022, into
allegations of the circumstances relating to the care of expectant mothers at RMMCH. The
complaint was risk-rated high.

The complaint was prompted by two main factors, including the media uproar sparked by video
footage published by News24 https://www.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/News/watchpregnant-women- sleeping-on-thefloor-at-joburg-hospital-20220402?s=08; and an email from
Ms Salma Bhikhoo (Ms S Bhikhoo) relating to the unpleasant conditions found at RMMCH
when she took a family member, Ms Nazeerah Ismail (Ms N Ismail), to the hospital for delivery.
In the main, Hon. H Ismail (the Complainant) alleged that:

• Expectant mothers at RMMCH were sleeping on the hospital floor.
• The Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Nozuko Precious Mkabayi (Dr NP
  Mkabayi), was not working full-time to ensure everything ran smoothly at the hospital.
  Since the CEO was appointed on 01 January 2021, she had only spent 182 days at the
  hospital.
• Patients’ health and dignity, and the well-being of healthcare workers was severely
  affected.
• RMMCH has seen an increase in patient load, with no concurrent increase in
  infrastructural development. The hospital has two maternity obstetrics units in its
  drainage area that refer patients to it.
• The hospital is classified as a specialised hospital, and patients are referred from
  hospitals in the West Rand, as well as the Community Health Centre (CHC) and clinics
  in regions B and C of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council.
  On analysis of the complaint and the allegations, the following issues were identified and
  investigated:
  a) Whether expectant mothers at RMMCH slept on the hospital floors.

Media Statement on Release of Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Report