A South African man who fell ill in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, is receiving medical care in a Limpopo hospital after the provincial Department of Health repatriated him when he could not receive sufficient medical care due to logistical reasons.

The patient,who is believed to be an entrepreneur, was in Zimbabwe legally, attending an exhibition. 

Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba and Limpopo Department of Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego received the man after he was airlifted from Beitbridge border near Musina from the Zimbabwean side

Ramathuba said Sunday night executive learnt that a South African citizen fell ill in the neighbouring country which was an emergency, but was swiftly rushed to the hospital. 

“We received a communique from that side, requesting us to make an intervention and that’s what we did as a provincial government,” Ramathuba said. 

She said they had to get the patient repatriated from Bulawayo. 

“Logistics were difficult, firstly because we needed to get an emergency medical services vehicle (a private ambulance, funded by the Limpopo Department of Health) to transport him to Beitbridge, where it was easier to airlift him here, back to Polokwane (Pietersburg) Provincial Hospital,” Ramathuba said. 

She said they tried to get an ambulance into Zimbabwe, but they were not allowed to. They asked if they could meet halfway to Beitbridge. They even tried to get the army, but the private ambulance was the quicker option.

“What we also want to indicate is that we want to appreciate all the medical personnel, the physician attending to him was willing to assist but they have written in their letter of transfer to say due to logistical challenges, which anyone can interpret, they are not able to assist him because, among others, he might need a blood transfusion; he might also need dialysis.

“So, because of those logistics, they really needed us to make an intervention.”

Ramathuba expressed her gratitude to the Department of Health staff who came on board, even those who were off-duty. 

“I was conveying the message, together with the MEC, we really appreciate our team that has done a wonderful job,” Ramathuba said. 

The Premier said indicated that she was able to talk to the patient and his family. 

She urged the team to continue to do good work for every human being because it is about serving humanity.

“Health can affect anyone, it doesn’t matter who you are, you can fall ill as an emergency, but what is important it’s how those who are given the responsibility to assist health in that particular sector and respond urgently and assist,” Ramathuba said. 

Ramathuba added: “He’s alive, he has arrived in Polokwane, he’s in safe hands.”

Earlier, while waiting for the patient to deboard, Ramathuba can be heard spaeking to MEC Mashego: “The person who called me started by saying ‘Premier, let me start by apologising, I was one of those who were saying you are Xenophobic, but I am here with our colleague, he collapsed, if he doesn’t get emergency care, he will die. Can you arrange that, they’re saying we must bring him back’. 

“They even wrote me a letter, the physician, saying please attend to your own, they don’t have…. It was painful.”

Although inaudible at times, during an interaction with the patient, Ramathuba asked if he had medical insurance… but they still said their resources were limited for their own? The patient replied yes. 

In 2022, when Ramathuba was still the provincial health MEC, she called for a Bela Bela hospital to charge a Zimbabwean woman for treatment before discharging her.

In the clip posted on Twitter, Ramathuba said it was only in South Africa where people come into the country and expect treatment.

Despite backlash on social media, Ramathuba stood by her statement and in an interview with SABC, said it was her responsibility to ensure that the people in her province lived a long and healthy life.

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za 

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