Disgusting excuse for a hospital! Government officials should be FORCED to use these public hopitals! NOT NEGOTIABLE!!!

Livingstone Hospital Port Elizabeth!

Absolutely appalling excuse for a hospital! This facility doesn't even deserve a single star—if anything, it should be rated a minus 1000! My experience at Livingston Hospital in Port Elizabeth has been nothing short of a nightmare, and I am utterly disgusted, heartbroken, and furious. I had heard the horror stories about this place, but never in my worst imagination did I think I would be subjected to such gross incompetence and callousness.

Upon our arrival on Thursday evening (20.03.25), we were greeted by an eerily empty hospital, with staff supposedly on strike, and a dismal attempt to only treat "Triage Red" patients—those in critical condition. With almost no staff and an abandoned facility, it was baffling how they were even attempting to assess the severity of anyone’s situation. With no other option, we had no choice but to take my uncle home, hoping for the best, until we could get him care elsewhere.

We returned today, hoping for some relief—but, of course, things only worsened. We were told there was a 48-hour wait just to see a doctor or nurse because of the backlog caused by the strike. So, what was the point of the strike if it only created more chaos and further crippled the already inadequate staff? The entire situation became even more infuriating when my uncle, writhing in excruciating pain and unable to stand, was left to rely on us to find a wheelchair. The security guard at casualty informed us there was only one wheelchair available, and it was already in use. After scouring the entire hospital, I finally found a wheelchair—hidden behind a doctor’s door. The staff was reluctant to let me take it, but I did it anyway, knowing full well there was no other choice.

Once we finally got my uncle into casualty, he was placed in a semi-crowded room, next to a man shackled to his bed—presumably a prisoner—and the security guard tasked with monitoring him was glued to his phone, completely neglecting his duties. Honestly, every single security guard we encountered seemed more focused on their phones than actually doing their jobs. The complete disregard for basic patient care is beyond reprehensible.

At first, my mom and I were allowed to stay with my uncle to provide him with water, a blanket, and pain relief as he had not been seen by any medical staff. But as soon as the shift changed, the service took an even further nosedive. The staff, who had already been unhelpful and unfriendly, became downright dismissive and rude. And, as if this wasn’t bad enough, we were told we could no longer stay with my uncle at all. This, despite the fact that my uncle was unable to speak or advocate for himself and had been left in the semi-crowded casualty room for 12 hours without receiving any form of medical attention—this was still the case as I’m writing this at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday night.

I am absolutely livid and horrified by the state of our public healthcare system, or rather, the absolute lack of it. What happened here is not just poor service—it is a gross failure of the most basic responsibilities of a healthcare facility.

UPDATE 25.03.2025: After enduring this horrific and traumatic experience, my uncle tragically passed away today at 15:15. His death could have been avoided had they acted promptly when he first arrived at their disastrous casualty department! The security guards were too busy glued to their phones to care, and when they did engage, they had the audacity to treat our family members like ********s, refusing us the basic human decency of staying with our dying uncle. My uncle, who was suffering from severe asthma and couldn’t speak for himself, was subjected to cruelty—having us repeatedly chased out and denied the opportunity for our family in America and Cape Town to say their final goodbyes through video calls.

The level of inhumanity we witnessed here is beyond anything I can adequately describe. No person, especially a loved one, should ever have to endure this kind of treatment in their final moments. It is unconscionable! I firmly believe that government officials should be forced to endure this level of care themselves, as their salaries are paid by all of us, the taxpayers who are subjected to this disgraceful system. This should never happen again!

Our hearts are completely shattered, knowing that this tragic outcome could have been prevented had proper care been provided earlier.