The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has demanded a speedy investigation and penalties for any recognized failures which will have contributed to the fireplace at Tembisa Hospital in Ekurhuleni.
A fireplace broke out on the hospital’s emergency unit on Saturday, 20 April. Fortuitously, there have been no casualties reported. Nevertheless, the unit stays closed.
DA WEIGHS IN ON TEMBISA HOSPITAL FIRE
The Gauteng Division of Well being stated, regardless of the incident, Tembisa Hospital stays operational, and the reason for the fireplace is below investigation.
DA Gauteng spokesperson on well being Jack Bloom stated they’re very grateful that catastrophe administration providers had been capable of stop a monstrous tragedy by the speedy evacuation of sufferers. They need to be counseled.
Bloom stated sadly, there’s a historical past of drawn-out investigations and lack of penalties after earlier hospital fires.
“Whereas arson has been recognized as the reason for the devastating hearth on the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital 5 years in the past, the hospital CEO was not fired regardless of recognized deficiencies in a report by the State Safety Company. There has additionally been no progress in apprehending the arsonists,” Bloom stated.
GAUTENG HOSPITALS DON’T COMPLY WITH OHS ACT
In the meantime, none of Gauteng’s 37 public hospitals comply absolutely with the Occupational Well being and Security Act, with hearth being the largest threat, the DA additionally revealed.
The celebration stated that that is in response to a current Gauteng Well being Division presentation to an oversight committee within the Gauteng Legislature.
Sixteen hospitals scored lower than 75% OHS compliance, principally due to lacking hearth prevention and hearth suppression gear, and lack of fireplace signage and escape lighting.
Notably, Tembisa Hospital solely scored 72% OHS compliance, the identical because the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital, regardless of their earlier hearth.
“Tembisa Hospital has been mismanaged and looted by fishy contracts for years now, and it doesn’t also have a everlasting CEO. A top-class CEO is urgently wanted to make sure that full providers are reinstated, and measures are taken to alleviate the extreme overcrowding that shall be worsened by the fireplace.
“The DA in Gauteng will push for full accountability and speedy efforts to repair Tembisa Hospital,” Bloom added.
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