Phumlani Lindelani Khuzwayo to Compete at the National Batho Pele Service Excellence Awards 2018/2019 (isiZulu)

On Thursday, 13 February 2020 at approximately 13:10, a “Batho Pele” and “Service Delivery” representative from the National Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) called Mr Phumlani Khuzwayo and shared to him the ‘good news’ of being shortlisted amongst other candidates who will compete at the National Batho Pele Service Excellence Awards 2018/2019 this year. Subsequent to the call, a formal visit by the Adjudication Team, representatives from DPSA and Office of the Premier (OTP) was confirmed for Tuesday 18 February 2020. The interview and project site visit was conducted at the Vryheid District Hospital – a site where the project was initially launched and implemented.

Phumlani Lindelani Khuzwayo, who serves the department as Chief Architect at the North Coast Region, registered an infrastructure project on the “Reconfiguration of the Neonatal Ward at Vryheid Hospital.” Consequently, the project got shortlisted to compete under the category as “Best Implemented Project/ Programme of the Year 2018/2019.” The project emerged after a need was registered for the expansion of the Special Care Baby Unit and creation of additional Ward space in the Post Natal Ward of the Vryheid Hospital due to an increasing number of baby deliveries. It was deemed prudent healthcare and mandatory to accommodate the increasing delivery of babies admitted and the implementation of Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) by conversion of unused space into an appropriate Ward.

The adjudication team arrived at the hospital on Tuesday 18 February 2020 and got the ball rolling with an intense, thought-provoking, exhilarating but grilling interview session with Phumlani and Mrs. Fikile Ngema, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Vryheid Hospital, which commenced at 15:00. The team was assigned by DPSA and comprised of Mr. Oomang Parag - Chairperson, Ms. Nomusa Ntsuki.Mahlangu, Mr. Steve Madue, Ms Pumla Dlamini and Mr Jan Motsoene. The Public Works’ team who joined to witness the interview and project site visit respectively are Messrs. Thulani Gwala – Vryheid Sub-District Manager and Tarzan Ntsele - Head for Employee Health & Wellness (EHW): North Coast Region, Ms. Thuthukile Nkomo – Human Resource Practitioner: Change Management & Service Deliver at Head Office. The Vryheid Hospital team was represented by Mrs. Nesi Khumalo – Deputy Manager: Nursing, Mr Muzi Buthelezi - Zululand Health District Engineer, Ms. Ntombikayise Gule – Operational Manager: Post Natal & Special Care Baby Unit, Mr Mjabuliseni Tshabalala – Chief Artisan, and Ms. Nqobile Mbatha – Public Relations Officer (PRO). Supporting the interviewees was indeed key.

After the interviews were concluded, a ‘walk-about’ site inspection was undertaken. It was of essence for the team to observe the operational circumstances and architectural state of the Neonatal Ward so as to have an informed evaluation, analysis and decision. It is in the interest of ‘good governance’ that site inspections be used in health care and construction projects to promote improvements in the quality of care, promoting changes in structures or processes. This will benefit healthcare provider, also stakeholder behaviour and thereby enhance patient or clientele outcomes. These review systems are based on the assumption that externally promoted adherence to evidence-based standards through inspection and assessment will result in higher quality of health care and infrastructure delivery.

The socio-economic impact of the project was that it was completed on record time with project additions and omissions ended up in balanced total value that would not warrant a variation and did not negatively impact the project. In addition, the project invited people beyond the local area, which resulted in an increase to food traffic flow meaning that more money was injected towards informal traders – an ultimate sustenance of local transport business as community had to use local transportation to reaching the hospital services.

The contribution of the project towards the strategic objectives of Public Works is that it has embraced the Government’s priorities of an integrated infrastructure service delivery model by ensuring that lives of babies are saved, the health of babies and their mothers is improved. One other objective isto ensure that there is sufficient capacity and appropriate infrastructure to support services that assist towards the implementation of the department’s policy in leading towards the positive pathway of the National Development Plan – Vision 2030 and also endevours to fulfil the ideals of the National Health Insurance.

Further smooth implementation of the project is that no land was required because the reconfigured ward was already on an existing building. Provisioning of electricity, water and sewer supply during construction phases was delivered without hassles. This includes the electrical and mechanical installations within the section. Bulk services were available with water, sewer and electricity supply. A new generator was installed with the hospital transformer upgraded to manage an increase in power supply. A bulk oxygen tank to cater for increasing medical air requirements was already installed. Both the Vryheid Hospital and Public Works’ teams were formidable workforce. These were professionals in the health care and built-environment that had a common goal of providing a service that would create a structure to accommodate human beings in need of quality health care, save and improve lives.

Credit to Fikile Ngema and Phumlani Khuzwayo, who have indeed confidently displayed their respective resilience and competence on how to provide quality neonatal facilities in the Province that would complement the expertise of health care practitioners for the range of the babies’ needs they may have. Mutual beneficial connections and ultra-careful diligence was evident. They all had a “stake” of common interest. These relationships build networks that develop credible, united voices about issues, products, and or services that are important to the government and people of KwaZulu-Natal. Special compliments goes to all those officials from Vryheid Hospital and Public Works who remained loyal to the course. Their support (nursing management, professional services, supply chain management, programme management, finance and other disciplines) in ensuring that the project team delivered on its project schedule is commendable. Such an achievement embraces the destiny of moving South Africa forward. This is a winning way of building a brighter future for maternal and child healthcare.