Department of Health cites number of reasons for the spare beds at Sizwe TB Hospital

The Gauteng Department of Health has cited a number of reasons why the Sizwe Tuberculosis Hospital is currently underutilised.

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Prince Hamnca, head of communications for the Gauteng Department of Health said decentralised management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) helped contribute to this situation. The roll out of shortened regiment from April 2017 together with the availability of the drug Bedaquiline registered in 2016 in all health districts, resulted in early discharge of patients and reduced length of stay which led to some of the beds at the hospital not being occupied.

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This is after Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC released a statement saying the hospital was currently underutilised with only 100 out of 260 beds occupied.

“However, the extra capacity will be important if there is an upsurge in multi-drug resistant TB,” said Bloom.

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“Sizwe Tropical Disease Hospital is a specialised hospital responsible for the management of complicated drug-resistant TB as a referral centre for the Gauteng province.

“The hospital has one of the highest treatment successes in the country with MDR-TB at 64 per cent compared to a national success rate of 53 per cent and 60 per cent for XDR-TB compared to a national success rate of 49 per cent,” said Hamnca.

Bloom said he visited this specialist hospital on August 21 after he received photos and a video of disruptive activities by a patient, including a small fire and the strewing of rubbish in Ward 16.

“I met the hospital CEO, Dr Marian Louw, who confirmed the incidents and said it occurred for various reasons, including frustration at being confined in the hospital for a long period of time. The average stay for a patient is 56 days but it could be longer,” he said.

Hamnca confirmed that a patient started a fire at the Sizwe Tropical Hospital on August 19 by burning the waste in the courtyard of Ward 16.

“The fire was contained and no damage or casualties was reported. We are working with all stakeholders, including unions, to find an amicable solution to the current challenges at the facility,” he said.