Health department says beds are enough, amid outcry

The community has lashed out at the Gauteng health department for suspected ill-treatment of patients at a Hammanskraal, hospital, in the north of Pretoria.

Pictures of patients sleeping on the floor and benches allegedly due to bed shortages and overcrowding at Jubilee Hospital had been posted to social media.

“It is alleged that patients have been sleeping on the floor for the past four days at casualty ward without food and medication due to overcrowding,” the post shared by scores of users read.

The post sparked debate and complaints about service at the hospital and the breakdown of the healthcare system in Gauteng.

Jubilee Hospital in Temba, PTA North Hammanskraal.
It is alleged that patients have been sleeping on the floor for the past 4 days at casualty ward without food and medication due to overcrowding how true is this? @GautengHealth @GovernmentZA @HealthZA pic.twitter.com/ZPAr9J94kC

— CrimeInSA (@sa_crime) March 4, 2024

An X user @thandomasanabo tweeted: “Very true… it’s a horrible experience to be there [Jubilee hospital]. You will wait, you will scream in pain, bleed to death, faint… No one will assist you,” read the tweet.

Very true… it’s a horrible experience to be there. You will wait, you will scream in pain, bleed to death, faint… NO WILL ASSIST YOU

— NaNgoma🤍 (@thandomasanabo) March 5, 2024

However, the department rubbished the allegations of bed shortages and overcrowding at Jubilee Hospital.

Spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said the department noted the complaints, but said people should use the correct channel to lodge complaints.

“The department notes the complaint, which was shared on social media platforms. We urge the public to lodge their complaints at the facility where the service concern arose via the quality assurance managers when they are unhappy with the service.”

Modiba said an overflow ward was established at the facility in December to resolve bed shortages and overcrowding in the casualty ward.

“The hospital opened an overflow ward in December and is planning on opening an additional overflow ward to deal with the flow of patients.”

He said casualty is not a ward and is therefore not expected to have beds.

“However, we have 14 short-stay beds for observation of patients. In a situation where there is a high number of admitted patients, and hospital beds are full, this can lead to patients waiting for beds in casualty.”

He said in most cases patients voluntarily sleep on the floor against the advice of staff.

“In the pictures shared on social media, there is a patient sleeping on the floor, but you can see that there is an empty bench behind him,” Modiba said.

He said the issue of overcrowding in most cases can be due to population growth which exceeds the capacity of the hospital.

“The facility also caters for some parts of North West [population]. The department is in the process of reviewing the organisational structure to improve patient experience.”

Modiba said it was untrue that patients were not fed.

“Our patients get four meals a day,” he said.

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