Operations cancelled at Steve Biko Hospital – Here’s why

The Department of Infrastructure Development has been heavily criticised for failing to do maintenance at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Tshwane, Gauteng. 

Non-urgent operations have been cancelled after air conditioning at the theatres broke down on Wednesday last week, reportedly. 

OPERATIONS CANCELLED AT STEVE BIKO HOSPITAL  

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, Jack Bloom said with the hot weather experienced lately in Gauteng, the risk of infection is too high to do surgery without air-conditioning as this can lead to infection.

Bloom said he has also received complaints about patients who have been in the hospital for more than a month who are waiting for their surgery.

“It is yet another maintenance failure by the Department of Infrastructure Development (DID), which keeps appointing incompetent contractors who can’t do the job.

“In this case, the first contractor couldn’t fix the chillers, and a new contractor had to be appointed yesterday. The hospital hopes that the chillers can be fixed by Friday, 7 October.” 

Jack Bloom

Steve Biko Hospital has also suffered from broken lifts which disrupted surgery as patients could not be transported between floors, reportedly.

HEALTH FACILITIES AFFECTED JOBURG WATER WOES

This week, Rand Water which supplies some of the big metro municipalities such as the City of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg in Gauteng implemented Stage 2 water cuts.

Two major hospitals Helen Joseph and Rahima Moosa Mother and Child experienced low water pressure, with some sections within affected more than others.

According to the Gauteng Department of Health, both Rahima Moosa and Helen Joseph facilities have boreholes but unfortunately this was not sufficient to keep up with the water demands at each facility. 

Johannesburg Water resorted to supplying water through mobile tankers and continued to deliver at an increased frequency. They also isolated two towers to ensure supply to the facilities, according to the department. 

Spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba said even with these measures, unfortunately the water supply challenges persists and continued to negatively affect the smooth provision of healthcare services. 

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