Several patients transferred to Tshwane hospital following a fire at a Johannesburg hospital
A fire broke out at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg academic hospital on Friday morning and the hospital has been temporarily closed.
Several patients from the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg academic hospital (CMJAH) in Johannesburg, which caught fire on Friday, have been transported to Tshwane district hospital.
Health department spokesperson Kwara Kekana said as of Saturday, 17 April, over 415 patients were transported to various health facilities across the province.
“The primary focus at this stage is to save lives and ensure a total evacuation of all the remaining 270 patients to other facilities. The evacuation of patients is a safety precaution due to the concern of smoke contamination,” she said.
Kekana said while the patients were being moved out of the hospital it would temporarily close for seven days.
“The Gauteng provincial government has activated the provincial call centre to allow family members of the patients to obtain more information about which facilities their loved ones have been transferred to,” Kekana said.
“Families and loved ones can contact the Gauteng Citizens Relationship Management hotline on 0800-228-827, 0800-428-8364 or email to hotline@gauteng.gov.za or support@gauteng.gov.za.”
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In a statement, Tshwane mayor Randall Williams said about 21 patients were transported to a Tshwane district hospital as of Saturday morning.
“The bravery of frontline healthcare workers based at the hospital (CMJAH) must be praised as they played a critical role in ensuring that patients were evacuated.
I would also like to send my thoughts to all those that were affected by the fires and pray that they recover fully.”
Tshwane emergency services teams remain at the CMJAH to offer assistance in evacuation processes.
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