Doctor’s death highlights toxic working conditions in SA hospitals

THE death of intern Dr Alulutho Mazwi at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, in Durban, has sparked outrage among healthcare professionals, who are calling attention to the toxic working conditions that plague South African hospitals.

- MONISHKA GOVENDER

Mazwi, who was doing his in-ser-vice training at the hospital’s paediat-rics department, died while on duty.

The Public Servants Association (PSA) alleged that Mawzi - an only child — died after he was forced to work while critically ill, by his medical manager.

Nathi Olifant, spokesperson for the KZN Department of Health, said the medical manager had been placed on precautionary suspension.

“The department went to Prince Mshiyeni Hospital to establish what had happened. We are investigating all the allegations raised,” he said.

Following this incident, several doctors have condemned the working environment at provincial hospitals and have highlighted their personal experiences.

They declined to be named for the fear of victimisation.

A doctor, who qualified in 2023, said in 2019 there was an email detail-ing the toxic behaviour of medical managers at a Pietermaritzburg hospital.

She said the medical managers were still in their roles.

“Many doctors lose their lives to poor mental health, year after year because of this toxic work environment.

“Dr Mawzi’s death is heartbreaking and terrifying. The humanity we are expected to extend to patients is denied to us.

“The government does not hire enough doctors and the hospitals are falling apart. The public doesn’t understand that the two doctors they see on duty are doing the work of six or seven. We are stretched further and further, at the expense of ourselves,” she said.

She claimed that ward rounds and meetings often turned into “humiliation rituals”.

“Bad behaviour is allowed to go unchecked. It may be one or two bad apples but the rest of the department and the hospital management remain silent and are therefore complicit.

“The Health Professions Council of South Africa also offers no support to doctors.