HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS
Lives at risk as Murchison Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal continues to operate
Murchison Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal’s Ugu district continues to operate in breach of a national health protocol under conditions made hazardous to patients and medical personnel by a chronic water crisis, according to sources at the hospital. The water crisis, which began four years ago, has rendered the hospital inoperable for much of the time, although it has stayed open. Piped municipal water to the hospital has been available for about half the time over the period. The crisis has affected the entire Ugu district, at times leaving the population of about 1-million people without piped water for weeks on end. Doctors say the conditions at the hospital, which is intended to serve about 250,000 people, are likely to cause cross-infections between patients, with medical staff as intermediary vectors. Staff cannot wash their hands before and after treating patients, while toilets have become permanently blocked. Used toilet paper is deposited in dry bins. Staff fetch buckets of water...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.