Johannesburg - Health Minister Dr Zwelini Mkhize visited Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital on Tuesday afternoon to assess the extent of damage caused by the fire and to also discuss the recovery plan for the hospital.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi joined the minister on the walkabout.
Mkhize arrived at around 3pm and entered the facility to be briefed by the the hospital’s team.
There was minimum human presence at the hospital outside of security personnel and some staff members at the administrative building.
Patients have been transferred to other hospitals in the province.
Meanwhile, the Gauteng Department of Health announced on Tuesday morning that the department has put various measures in a bid to minimise disruption of healthcare services for the hospital.
Spokesperson Kwara Kekana said that all patients that had planned caesarean surgeries and other urgent surgeries at Charlotte Maxeke should go to the Discoverers Community Healthcare Centre in Florida a day before they were scheduled for admission.
“All ante-natal services will be offered at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital,” she said.
Kekana added that all patients booked for gynaecological surgeries will be contacted for appointments and will be operated on at the South Rand Hospital by the Charlotte Maxeke team. She added that all booked patients will be contacted and given new dates.
She also said all those on chronic medication should take their scripts to their nearest hospital or clinic so that they could be issued with medication.
“Patients that were transferred from Charlotte Maxeke following the fire incident are being properly accommodated at other hospitals in the province,” she said.
Kekana added that the process to inform families where their loved ones have been transferred commenced on Saturday and was still underway.
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