Dispatch Frere baby deaths probe has resulted in:

l An increase in hospital maintenance budget from about R3,5 million to R35m;

l Replacement of a broken electronic nurse-calling (intercom) system;

l Conversion of a current storeroom into an additional, fully functional labour ward;

l Replacement of six of the 18 incubators that required frequent repair;

l The purchasing of additional neo-natal ventilators to eliminate the use of the main hospital’s intensive care unit;

l Procurement of another six CTGs and one ultrasound scanner;

l The installation of elbow-operated taps, additional hand-washing basins and the enforced adherence to infection control procedures as a “matter of urgency”;

l Urgent efforts to increase the number of porters, messengers, general assistants and clerical staff and to ensure that they are available at all times to allow nurses to attend to patients;

l The provincial Health Department utilising all avenues for recruitment and retention of staff;

l The immediate scrapping of the controversial staff rotation system;

l An increase in the complement of doctors;

l Ensuring medical officers are at maternity so that patients get proper clinical care;

l Specialist consultants conducting scheduled night rounds and providing teaching;

l A review of mortality data for the entire Frere Hospital area;

l The formal recording of weekly clinical audit meetings;

l Powers to be given back to hospital CEOs within the East London Hospital Complex;

l More control for managers over budgets, staff and services; and

l The strengthening of the District Health System to reduce unnecessary referrals and concentrate on high-risk patients and so improve the baby mortality rate.