MASHEGO TAKES CHARGE: HEALTH MEC’S SURPRISE VISIT TO MUSINA HOSPITAL RESTORES MEDICATION SUPPLY, REASSURES COMMUNITIES
- Mpho Dube
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego.
By Mpho Dube, Editor-in-Chief, The Azanian
In a bold, hands-on move that sent ripples of hope across Vhembe District, Limpopo’s Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego rolled up unannounced at Musina Hospital last Thursday, armed with a clipboard, a promise, and a mission to fix the crippling medicine shortage that had left Nancefield Clinic’s patients in despair.
The visit came after a wave of complaints from residents about dwindling stocks of essential drugs—complaints that sparked outrage on social media and drew the attention of community activists and opposition parties alike. But instead of issuing empty statements from a distant office, Mashego chose to walk the wards, meet the nurses, and stare down the supply-chain problems herself.
“I’m not here to point fingers,” she told staff gathered in the hospital’s foyer. “I’m here to roll up my sleeves and fix what’s broken. Our patients deserve dignity, not delays.”
During her tour, Mashego inspected storage rooms, reviewed stock-ledger systems, and grilled officials on why a critical batch of antiretrovirals had gone missing. She also sat down with the hospital’s pharmacy manager, listened to frontline workers’ frustrations, and pledged immediate funding to replenish depleted shelves.
Within 48 hours, a special delivery of 2,000 packs of first-line HIV medication arrived at Nancefield Clinic, courtesy of a rapid-response procurement drive spearheaded by Mashego’s office. Nurses reported a noticeable drop in patient wait times and a surge in morale—patients like 45-year-old Thandiwe Nkosi, who arrived at the clinic just before noon and left with her full prescription in hand.
“This is the first time in months I’ve walked out without being told ‘come back tomorrow,’” Nkosi said, clutching her medication with a relieved smile. “MEC Mashego didn’t just talk—she delivered.”
The visit is part of a broader #BopheloPele (“Health First”) initiative launched by Mashego earlier this year, aimed at rooting out corruption, cutting red tape, and putting patients at the heart of the health system. Since taking office in June, she has already visited Letaba, Mankweng, and now Musina hospitals, earning praise for her accessibility and no-nonsense attitude.
“She’s not waiting for reports—she’s on the ground, talking to the people who matter most: the patients and the nurses,” said a senior nurse at Musina Hospital, who preferred anonymity. “It’s refreshing to see an MEC who actually listens.”
Mashego’s proactive approach has also won cautious applause from civil-society groups that previously criticized her lack of health-sector experience. “We’re watching closely, but her early actions show promise,” said Daniel Mathebula of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC). “If she can turn this momentum into sustained change, we’ll be singing her praises.”
As she departed Musina, Mashego paused for a photo with staff and patients—a snapshot that will soon appear in local newspapers and across social-media feeds, symbolizing a new era of accountability in Limpopo’s health department.
Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego rolled up unannounced at Musina Hospital last Thursday, armed with a clipboard, a promise, and a mission to fix the crippling medicine shortage that had left Nancefield Clinic’s patients in despair.
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