By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Tshwane’s Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital forced to implement emergency contingency measures to keep operations going.
The health facility in Atteridgeville, Tshwane, is struggling to operate following a shortfall of electricity and water.
It’s understood the reservoir that supplies the hospital is depleted due to Rand Water’s pressure not being sufficient to reach the reserves. Rand Water also tightened the taps in the capital due to increased water consumption.
The hospital is now concerned about the risk of infection because the taps have run dry.
The City of Tshwane says a water tanker has been deployed to fill up the hospital’s tanks. But residents tell a story of hardship to get simple healthcare and water.
The sobering effects of water shortages coupled with prolonged power cuts are affecting other crucial infrastructure including schools, daycare centres and households.
Healthcare workers at the hospital also said the impact of Gauteng’s strained water supply was devastating to the services and dignity of staff and patients.
“We were provided with five litres of water to drink. Washing hands was a problem, and we had to close our toilets. We were unable to do urine dip sticks,” said one nurse.
While the provincial health department said it put contingency measures in place, patients and staff continue to reel from several, overlapping problems.
On Sunday afternoon, after cries for water at the facility, Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko conducted an oversight visit at the hospital.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said: “Contingency measures include increasing the number of water tankers bringing water to the facility and the frequency of supply to keep operations going.
“Already about 60 000 litres have been delivered to the facility. There is provision to make water available for the patients across the wards and we will continue to monitor the situation in Tshwane closely.”
It’s impossible to ignore the pungent stench of urine that sweeps through the corridors of this facility. The toilets have not been flushing since Saturday and to make matters worse, electricity has not been restored to hospital as per Eskom’s schedule.