Durban - FRUSTRATED staff at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi, Durban, marched through the hospital on Friday after being without running water since the floods hit last week Monday.
A medical practitioner at the hospital, who requested anonymity, said they were dealing with a major water crisis. “Management is giving us no relief despite engaging with them. Staff at the hospital are expected to function as normal despite not having running water after the floods. Toilet facilities cannot be used, toilet paper is mounting in the pans.
We cannot wash our hands, linen is not washed for patients. On Friday, a few random portable toilets were brought in but this is not sufficient. “Women are giving birth on plastic sheets. Nothing can be sterilised. Operations are expected to be done on patients but there’s no water to wash our instruments or our hands. I’m touching patient after patient without having water to wash my hands.” The doctor claimed that from Monday, April 11 until Wednesday April 13, staff had to remain on shift because staff from the next shift could not access the hospital.
“We asked for a helicopter to transport us but this was not done. The staff could not come to work and the shift that was here had to work straight from Monday until Wednesday. My greatest concern is health and safety. “We are dealing with bodily fluid, we’re dripping in body fluid and no taps to wash up with. If we don’t work we won’t get paid. Patients have not stopped coming to the hospital and water bottles or buckets are very scarce. We’re coming out of Covid-19 and now operating without water.
For patients it’s worse, they cannot take a shower,” the medical practitioner said. Another medical practitioner based at the hospital, who also asked not to be named said, “We cannot eat or drink while at the hospital, patients have no water. It is inhumane. “Elective operations are expected to be done but some had to be cancelled. We can’t clean instruments.
Some minor operations weren’t done. “We were told by Wednesday, we will have water because the department is sorting out the reservoir but there is no water still. “Water is a basic necessity and we’re not satisfied with management’s response.
A hospital cannot be run with bottles or buckets of water, we need running water.” Gabriel Khawula, chief executive officer of Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, said running water would be accessible and the issue resolved by Thursday.
However, staff were still without running water. When contacted by the Sunday Tribune for an update, Khawula said, “We are now anticipating that water will be restored on Sunday (today) by 4pm.
Water tankers have been dispatched to the hospital, staff have access to this water. It will not be sufficient as compared to running water but we are trying to get back running water. “The reservoirs need to reach the quarter line because of the demand and consumption in order to not run out of water. This is until the main line is fixed.
Sterilisation is being done every afternoon at King Edward Hospital so there isn’t an issue with regard to sterilising instruments. We have enough instruments. “The main line has been affected but buckets and bottles of water have been provided, staff have to physically get it though. It’s not true that they cannot wash their hands, hand-washing liquids and sanitisers are available. Also, they use gloves and those are disposable after seeing to each patient.
“The Prince Mshiyeni reservoir is being fixed and filled up. An inlet had to be created so water can be filled in the reservoir by tankers. “I know this has been overwhelming for staff and they did not want to work.
In relation to the Monday shift having to work until Wednesday, this was logical as the next shift workers could not access the hospital so no one could relieve them. But, by Wednesday they were able to change shift,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Akhtar Hussain, the South African Medical Association (Sama) Employed Doctor’s Forum national chairperson, said while the floods were unexpected, hospitals have disaster plans which should have been implemented.
“The only place people can be safe is at hospital. Every hospital has a policy for disasters to save water and maintain the hospital in the midst of a disaster. The flood is not responsible for this, it is a problem that existed long before this happened. Sama is investigating into stalled hospital operations since the floods. Doctors should have been transported to hospitals by helicopter. If any other incident happens what will happen? The disaster is not maintaining the disaster plan,” said Hussain.
However, Khawula said, “This was a natural disaster, the 2 million litres of water from two reservoirs got used by April 14. We do make provisions but this was beyond our control. We have given staff 200 5-litre still water bottles over two days for drinking. They have come to us with their concerns and we have been communicating with them.”
SUNDAY TRIBUNE