Water outage at Helen Joseph leaves patient feeling like she was in a sewer
alwaa Begg, a patient at the hospital during the outage describes sick patients being treated in 'disgusting conditions'.
Poor service delivery across the city is well documented, but when sick patients in hospitals do not have access to water, it becomes a matter of life and death.
Helen Joseph Hospital was without water for several days last week due to a leak from a Johannesburg Water pipe along Perth Road.
Acting hospital CEO, Dr Rodney Pheto said, “The hospital was forced to delay some operations and divert some treatments after water pressure dropped on June 1. The entire hospital was without water for the first three days of this crisis, thereafter it slowly returned.”
He said water was collected to supply affected areas and ablution facilities and to enable cleaning staff to carry out their function. “Hand sanitisers were also supplied to patients and staff as an additional measure against infection.”
This contrasts with Salwaa Begg’s experience as a patient undergoing treatment for a rare genetic disease, Wunderlich syndrome. She was admitted to the facility on May 15.
“My bone marrow develops masses all over the body which if left untreated can rupture and be life-threatening. I have been extremely stressed and anxious during this time and the water situation has caused me so much anxiety, it has been disgusting and unhygienic.”
“We were not told anything as patients. I went to the bathroom one day and found there was no water. Nobody I asked had any idea what caused it, or when it would be fixed. The staff truly did not care.”
“I begged for something to be done as there were four of us in the room and the bathroom quickly became a sewer. I felt like I was living in a septic tank which made my anxiety spiral out of control.”
Luckily Begg had family who was able to bring her 20l of water so she could try to was and have something to drink, but she says she could ‘not eat in that environment’.
“The others in the room are very sick, one lady had her kidney removed and yet she is lying in this cesspit of a hospital room. I just don’t understand why there was no sense of urgency or contingency plans made considering what this building is used for, it is not an office block. I was thrilled when water was restored, more than thrilled.”
DA Shadow Minister for Health Jack Bloom said of the crisis, “Meanwhile, toilets stink, and services are disrupted by the lack of water at Helen Joseph Hospital. It is unthinkable that a hospital can run out of water that is essential for hygiene to prevent infections.”
Johannesburg Water said of the crisis, “An open valve within the ring feed of the hospital had to be closed as it was creating negative pressure. The water pressure increased immediately after the main valve was closed and water was restored.” Public toilets and a water tanker were made available during this time.
Pheto said in the future the hospital has requested Johannesburg Water to, “Inform us early whenever there are repairs or renovations of the towers that supply Helen Joseph Hospital.”
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