Helen Joseph medical surgeries disrupted
AUCKLAND PARK - Helen Joseph Hospital management denies that the reduced number of daily patient operations is due to a leaking roof.
Helen Joseph hospital has denied allegations that its anaesthetic machines were damaged by a leaking roof. The allegations came after the DA spokesperson for Health in Gauteng, Jack Bloom released a statement which claimed that operations have been cut as a result of the leak.
“Operations have been reduced at the Helen Joseph Hospital in west Johannesburg due to a leaking roof since the start of the heavy rain period this year,” Bloom said. “Anaesthetic machines cannot be used for fear of permanent damage to them, so theatre lists have been cut. About four operations a day have been cancelled every day for more than two weeks for this reason.”
Bloom said he was contacted by the hospital’s staff member who informed him of the leaking roof and the disruption it has caused.
Helen Joseph management has however refuted these allegations, although not denying that the anaesthetic machines were damaged.
“It is suspected that the steam from the cooler machine might have evaporated and became water which was found in the three anaesthetic machines,” Gauteng health department’s spokesperson Simon Zwane explained.
He maintained that the delay in patient operations will not have any substantial consequences.
“The number of patients operated daily has been reduced but normal surgery is continuing and the backlog is being attended to. Patients operations are not cancelled but postponed and the delay is only for one week which poses no medical danger to the patient. Emergency theatre is functioning as normal,” argued Zwane.
He added that a contractor was on site to repair the machines and further establish how the water managed to enter the machines.
“Once the contractor has established the challenge and dealt with it, the replacement machines which are already on site will be installed,” Zwane reckoned.
Bloom took a jab at the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development, describing it as a hopeless failure in hospital maintenance.
“Maintenance should become the direct responsibility of hospital managers, with sufficient resources to ensure that buildings and equipment are in good repair at all times,” Bloom concluded.
Details: Simon Zwane 011 355 3351, Jack Bloom 082 333 4222.
