HOSPITAL RUNS OUT OF TOILET PAPER
Serious shortage hits Tembisa Hospital
A SHORTAGE at Tembisa Hospital in Ekurhuleni has hit patients where it hurts the most.
Not only do patients have to deal with ill-health but also have to find creative ways of ensuring they have toilet paper.
The hospital has been without toilet paper and paper towels for the last week, and patients are not happy about it.
Patients have to buy their own toilet paper or beg from others in their wards.
A patient, who did not want to be named, said he was shocked when he went to the toilet and found that there was no toilet paper.
“At first I thought it was for that day only and that the cleaners would load them the following day, but that was not the case.
“Seven days went by and we still don’t have toilet paper.
“We have to buy it for R3 and sometimes R5. I am not happy about it and neither are my ward mates.”
A inspection check at the hospital by Sowetan did not find a single sheet of toilet paper.
A hospital employee, who also did not want to be named, said they also had to bring their own toilet paper.
“It might sound like a minor thing to others, but toilet paper is not something you normally carry around.
“Sometimes you go to the toilet and remember afterwards that you were supposed to bring paper. It is a nightmare,” he said.
Though the toilet paper crisis may be a headache for some, a vendor, who did not want to be named for fear of being banned from selling at the hospital, said he was pleased that his stock was selling well.
“Business is good. Toilet paper and bread are in demand. I sell about 60 toilet rolls and 10 crates of bread a day, which is not usual.
“Toilet paper has been on high demand for more than a week now. The bread demand is occasional.”
Tembisa Hospital chief executive officer Daisy Pekane said: “We are experiencing a challenge with suppliers of food and toilet paper, but we are dealing with the matter.
“While we are working on resolving this matter, we use petty cash to buy essentials like bread and toilet paper.
“The number of patients that are seen at the hospital on a daily basis, however, require more than what we can buy using petty cash.
“We would like to assure hospital users that this matter is being attended to and healthcare will not be compromised.” –