Clinic left powerless

DA Shadow MEC for Health in Gauteng, Jack Bloom, released a statement to the media, calling for an investigation into the failure of the Gauteng Department of Health to provide adequate diesel to run generators at Hillbrow Clinic during power outages.

According to Bloom, he visited the clinic on 10 February to find it in darkness, with doctors using the light provided by cellphones and torches to complete the basic work of examining and treating their patients. Several tests, as well as circumcisions and even suturing were rendered impossible by the lack of light and power for machines. Bloom reported incubators, defibrillators, electrocardiogram machines and other life-saving equipment standing useless in the casualty and maternity sections, as well as an ‘unusable’ resuscitation room. He added that nurses complained about the difficulty of administering injections, and expressed concern about the risk of needle-pricks to themselves in the darkness.

“It is unacceptable that failure to keep an adequate supply of diesel causes so much disruption to a major clinic,” said Bloom, who said his visit was prompted by information from an individual at the clinic, alerting him to the problem.

The Gauteng Health Department needs to determine why there was no diesel and ensure that there is accountability for this gross management failure.”

According to Bloom, the Hillbrow Clinic sees more than 1 000 people each day. While diesel was delivered to the clinic at 3pm on 10 February, this solution came too late for many of these patients who had already left or been sent away. “Numerous other hospitals around the province also undergo a constant struggle to keep adequate supplies of diesel on hand,” Bloom added.

The Gauteng Department of Health has not yet responded to a request for comment.