Going beyond the call of duty to deliver eight babies

Written by Noluthando Motswai and More Matshediso

Dr George Mothupi has told Vuk’uzenzele how he managed to negotiate with angry residents in efforts to make sure that he gets to the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital to deliver eight babies during the heightened protest which took place recently.Dr Mothupi who heeded to the call of duty to save the lives of mothers and babies at the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital.

“I had to heed to the call of duty, I got a call that there was a woman who needed an emergency caesarean section. What I did was not an act of bravery but rather saving the life of mother and child,” he said.

Dr Mothupi is the head of the Gynaecologist and Obstetrician at the Mahikeng Provincial hospital.

He added that after getting a call from the sister at the hospital he decided that he would walk from his surgery to the hospital to monitor the situation in the hospital.

“While walking I came across the protesters and I negotiated with them that I needed to get to the hospital to assist a women that needed to go into labour. Fortunately some of them knew who I was and I managed to go through.”

He adds that he was walking through the large group of angry people in Danville where the protest was rife.

Upon arriving at the hospital he worked through the night delivering eight babies.

North West Health MEC Magome Masike said saving lives of residents by providing quality health services remains the objective of the department.

The department’s services have been interrupted by community unrest that occurred in the province over the past weeks and the department said the environment has since not been conducive for some of the health professionals to do their work.

The MEC has applauded the commitment by some of the health professionals who have dedicated themselves to servicing residents in the midst of the volatile situation.
Masike has welcomed the arrival of the South African Military Health Services wing to the province's health facilities particularly around Mahikeng.

"The department still believes in mutual and peaceful means to a settlement that will satisfy all parties involved in talks to end the current challenges and labour unrest,” said the MEC.

Meanwhile, the department said the availability of essential drugs and medical supplies is also improving in health facilities following a decision to allow managers to directly source medication from suppliers.
This is over and above an earlier decision to request the National Department of Health to assist with direct deliveries to health facilities since the provincial medical depot was not accessible.

The Department also commended the support of the South African Association of Hospitals and Institutional Pharmacists (SAAHIP) who are planning to use their network of private hospitals to collect and distribute medical supplies. They have requested a list of critical items and the quantities required.  

The plan for the department is to collect the items in a private facility per district where the province or district will source the items.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for calm and adherence to the rule of law in the province and requested law-enforcement agencies to exercise maximum restraint in execution of their duties to return calm and normality to the province.

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