EVEN the MEC for KZN Health is passing the buck when it comes to no water at Murchison Hospital.
“It’s not my problem,” Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo snapped at Herald reporters, “the hospital must speak to Ugu.”
Like many other areas in the Ugu District, Murchison has also suffered, sometimes for days, without water. It’s bad enough that healthy residents have to go without water, but it really becomes a problem when trying to care for the sick at the hospital.
YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: No water for days
Yet the hospital doesn’t seem to be a priority for anyone outside of the facility.
“It’s not my problem,” said an angry Dr Dhlomo who was visiting the state mortuary in Port Shepstone yesterday (Wednesday) to deal with another crisis.
What don’t you understand? There is hospital management and that is what they’re hired to do. Speak to them, – Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo
Nelisiwe Ndadane recently went to Murchison Hospital to visit her father who has prostate cancer. She said patients in the ward complained that they had not had a bath for three days.
“I asked nurses if they could at least provide drinking water to patients in male surgical ward G, but I was told there were ‘shortages’ and they would only get water if they requested it.”
This concerned Nelisiwe so much that she contacted the Herald.
Another patient, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, told the Herald that the normal procedure was that patients had to bath before being given food or medicine.
At times, no water… no bath… no food… no medication.
The Herald was told some services at the hospital had been suspended and patients who had to undergo critical surgical procedures had to be moved to other hospitals.
Hospital management said services such as laundry, kitchen and theatre were affected as they operated on steam.
Most significantly, the infection control at the entire hospital is threatened as regular washing and the use of toilet facilities by patients, staff and visitors becomes a problem, – hospital spokesman
In spite of these challenges, the hospital had done its best to provide quality service and avoid infectious disease outbreaks.
The hospital also said three water tanks were placed in strategic areas.
“However, management has to battle with Ugu to get it to fill these tanks.
“The municipality is expected to fill the tanks on a weekly basis, but this is not happening.”
The hospital said they had had numerous meetings with Ugu to resolve the crisis, but in vain.
Ugu doesn’t seem to be bothered, as assistance is sporadic at best.
“Promises were made, but not kept,” said hospital management and they fear the situation would get worse.
The hospital has now installed a 20 000-litre elevated tank to feed critical areas.
They are also looking at boreholes and a 72-hour storage tank with booster pumps.
Meanwhile, Ugu blamed the shutdown of the Bhobhoyi Treatment Works for the lack of water.
A spokesman said some of their systems had not fully recovered, but they are working hard to prioritise hospitals and schools.
YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: Water supply systems are recovering, says Ugu
“The hospital has direct communication with us, through which it can and has been requesting water relief when supply is either cut off or running low.”
Ugu says it had also ensured that the hospital was given preference, contradictory to the records which the hospital had.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
For news straight to your phone, add us on BBM 58F3D7A7 or WhatsApp 082 421 6033
