Malfunctioning lifts cause distress at South Rand Hospital
Hospital management wishes to apologise for the inconvenience.
There has been concerns and complaints about the state of South Rand Hospital, especially the malfunctioning of lifts.
The COURIER contacted the hospital’s communication officer Phafudi Molapo about this matter on February 9.
On February 17 he sent a response from Motalatale Modiba, chief director of communication from Gauteng Department of Health and it reads: “The lifts at South Rand Hospital have not been operational since January 17.
The matter has been escalated to and we are awaiting the appointment of a service provider.
“Pregnant patients who are unable to move up the staircase, as well as emergency patients, are transferred to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital for further management.
“Corpse are transported from the wards to the mortuary using a scoop stretcher. The removal of waste remains a major challenge. The food is transported to different wards by the service personnel using the stairs.”
Mayor concerns
Some of the concerns and complaints from the public besides the malfunctioning lifts include a terrible smell throughout the hospital due to waste, including medical waste.
Such waste is left on different levels of the hospital because it is difficult for porters and cleaning staff to transport the waste to the bottom level to get rid of it.
“My biggest concern is what would happen if there is a medical emergency but the patient isn’t able to physically walk to the third floor where the theatre is located.
“Also how is the mortuary staff supposed to transport deceased patients from upper levels to the basement mortuary? The general staff are also at risk of getting burned by hot food travelling from the kitchen all the way to the seventh floor,” said one of the community members.
Jack Bloom, MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, said these lifts have not been fixed since breaking in mid-January because the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development has not paid the lift maintenance contract.
“Meanwhile, patients must be carried up and downstairs to have surgery, and dead bodies are carried down to the basement mortuary of this seven-storey building. Food for patients is carried up the stairs, causing great stress for staff. A cleaner fell while hauling up a large pot of porridge but was fortunately not injured.
“Lifts have also failed at other Gauteng public hospitals, including the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital and the Steve Biko Hospital. It is disgraceful that something as simple as keeping lifts in good order is not achieved in our hospitals that suffer from years of neglect in the maintenance of facilities.
“This is aggravated by the failure to pay contractors because of bad financial management. I have alerted Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi to this dire situation, which needs her urgent attention,” he said.
