Hospital waits on city to permit reopening

Despite plans to begin reopening Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital after a fire last month forced its closure, doors yesterday remained closed to patients.

While the vaccination site was buzzing with health workers queuing for vaccinations, security guards at the hospital’s busy gates would not allow people near the section of the hospital that was destroyed by the fire.

Philani Mhlungu, Gauteng health department spokesman, said the hospital was waiting for the go-ahead from the City of Joburg.

“The sections of the hospital not affected by the fire are ready to commence with services in phases as planned. We are waiting for a fire safety compliance certificate. As soon as it is issued, we will be able to resume the rephasing of services.”

Mhlungu added that patients who were referred to other facilities would be prioritised when the hospital reopened.

“The hospital is a 1 088 bed facility and daily bed occupancy is usually 80%. All patients referred to other facilities will be the first to be brought back and any subsequent patients who would have been admitted over the past weeks.”

Last week, Dr Sifiso Maseko, head of infrastructure in the department, said “deep cleaning” was being done in affected sections of the hospital.