Pietermaritzburg - KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu has called for modern methods to manage patient files, saying current systems were old and caused patients to wait on benches for a long time before they receive medical attention.

Simelane-Zulu wants an electronic filing system to be installed at health facilities across the province.

She paid a surprise visit to the Northdale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday morning and said she was concerned with how the hospital still operates.

Northdale has been heavily criticised in recent past over its poor treatment of patients.

“When you walk around the hospital, you realise that the institution is slightly old, which might need renovations here and there. The one thing that concerns me is the issue of admissions. We are still on paper admissions.