TB hospital in chaos as patients out of control
TUBERCULOSIS (TB) patients sell booze and dagga in an Eastern Cape hospital, where broken fences allow patients to go in and out to get illicit supplies.
These were some of the issues confronting Winterberg TB hospital in Fort Beaufort, said striking nurses yesterday.
Yesterday more than 50 nurses braved the 18°C weather for the second day and sat on chairs or stood at the gates to the hospital.
The hospital only treats patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and not those with drug-resistant TB.
Female nurses, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, alleged that TB patients were using the hospital as a shebeen and dagga den and were coming and going at whim.
Some were bringing the hospital.
Nurses said that despite being hospitalised the patients left without permission, walking through openings in the fence.
Once outside, they bought alcohol, tobacco and dagga from the township, which they then sold to patients.
Nurses said they worked under unsafe conditions since the barbed wire fence broke down in 2015.
“We are at risk, and especially at night. Only three nurses work at night, looking after 70 patients who make threatening remarks to us when we reprimand or confiscate their alcohol or weapons.
“Goats and pigs also come through the openings of the fence, and get inside the reception and wards, leaving droppings everywhere.
“Cleaning the hospital is a challenge as there is no permanent cleaning staff, ” they said.
Eastern Cape department of health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said they had sent a delegation of directors from TB management, labour relations and human resources from the district office to the hospital to address the issues.
“The department continues to advertise vacancies to address shortage in hospital. Two sets of adverts have already been placed on our website inviting applications,” he said. knives into
Kupelo condemned the use of alcohol and [illegal] drugs at the hospital and urged family and friends of patients not to give them to patients when visiting.
“Drugs are supplied by elements within the communities and are smuggled through the fences. No level of security will address such a behaviour,” he said.
The nurses have vowed to continue with the strike until the department of health sends a contractor to build a new fence.
Kupelo said nursing managers and social workers were now managing the patients. Cleaning and catering was outsourced.
A meeting between hospital management and district officials was still ongoing at the time of going to press yesterday, but Kupelo said the Winterberg Hospital would benefit from the R100-million budget for hospital fencing this financial year. —