Johannesburg — The Democratic Alliance (DA) has expressed its concern over the overcrowding in the casualty department at the Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg.
The DA’s Gauteng Member of the Legislature (MPL), Jack Bloom, has expressed his disappointment and concern at the situation at the hospital and it has been overcrowded for more than two weeks. The overcrowding has meant patients are unable to sleep in beds and have resorted to sleeping on the floor or in chairs, SABC News reported.
According to Bloom, up to 45 patients have so far slept in chairs and on the floor in the casualty area of the hospital and have been unable to gain access to the main wards.
““It is really appalling. I think it is bad management. If they cut corruption and wastage, I think we could fully staff our hospitals and patients will be properly treated,” he said.
Overcrowded casualty at Helen Joseph Hospital while a fully equipped 24-bed ward stays empty due to staff shortages. Patients are sleeping on chairs or floors. This is a clear sign of poor management! #HealthCrisis #RescueSA #DA_GPL @JackBloomDAhttps://t.co/j5CD74hNFS pic.twitter.com/ljfbxFshg3
— Democratic Alliance Gauteng Legislature (@DA_GPL) July 26, 2024
According to The Citizen, Bloom said the hospital currently has a fully-equipped 24-bed ward that lies empty and cannot take patients due to a lack of staff.
“It’s another example of the Gauteng Health Department’s poor management which leads to patients suffering in this neglected hospital which doesn’t even have a permanent CEO,” Bloom said.
“The Democratic Alliance will continue to push for critical health posts to be filled, which requires better management and a genuine crackdown on rampant corruption,” he said.
The Gauteng Department of Health said the overcrowding at the hospital is due to population growth in the area and that patients preferred to go to the hospital instead of other health facilities
“This has put pressure on human and financial resources as well as infrastructure capacity to handle the increase in patient numbers,” it said in a statement.
It said more beds and staff are being sourced from nearby facilities to reduce the overcrowding at the hospital.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
