PRIME Minister Russell Dlamini has raised serious concerns about operations at The Luke Commission (TLC).
Speaking in the Senate yesterday, the premier claimed that a lot is not going right at the health institution based at Sidvokodvo.
He was responding to several concerns raised by Senate President Lindiwe Dlamini, who questioned the millions of Emalangeni that government has invested in the facility.
The Senate president had submitted that there was about E50 million invested by government as subvention at TLC, but wanted to know if there was value for money given that there are talks of high charges when patients go to the facility.
She asked whether it truly benefits the country if so much money is invested in The Luke Commission, yet ordinary citizens still have to dig deep into their pockets to access medical attention.
She also questioned whether the health institution provides audited statements to government, so that the usage of the invested funds can be properly appreciated and accounted for.
The PM revealed that the allegations that have been brought to the fore about the operations at the TLC were shocking and of great concern.
He revealed to senators that workers (26 of them) who were dismissed from TLC came to his office to share information about what was obtaining at the health institution which he said were shocking.
Amongst the allegations, the premier said was that some personnel at TLC were paraded as doctors, yet they were not qualified. They simply wear the white gowns normally worn by qualified doctors and the citizens would be made to pay hefty consultation fees.
He also shared that the former workers claimed that patients were prescribed medication meant for animal consumption, not human beings.
He also shared with the senators that some patient’s admission stay is allegedly extended for them to pay more in admission fees even if they were not meant to stay that long.
“It is a lot and includes ill-treatment of staff, which reminds one of the oppression time under colonial rule and we would look into it,” he said.
