A critical shortage of beds due to overwhelming patient numbers at Edenvale General Hospital has forced those desperate for medical care to sleep on the floor of the hospital’s casualty ward.
More than 40 patients at any given time, most of whom travel from Alexandra, are said to sleep on the floor.
Jack Bloom, Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and Shadow MEC for Health, said he witnessed this when he visited the hospital on 8 October.
“I saw this when I visited the hospital… after receiving a complaint from a patient who had spent four nights sleeping on the floor,” said Bloom.
The patient who raised concerns with Bloom, Fazila Smith, was seen to while in the casualty ward on 5 October and was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis.
Bloom said he saw other patients lying on mattresses on the floor who were either suffering from meningitis, an enlarged heart, excess water in the body, or trauma from an attempted suicide.
A 90-year-old woman is said to be among them and has been there for several days. “It’s a shocking scene that has not improved over the years, despite visits by Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and senior health officials,” Bloom claimed.
The situation around the shortage of beds is said to have been worsened by the recent closure of Selby Park Hospital.
The hospital only has 230 beds and needs to double its size to meet the growing number of patients in need of medical care. Bloom has called for urgent measures to be taken to alleviate the overcrowding.
Details: Jack Bloom 082 333 4222.
