Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital still closed amid third wave

The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMAJH) in Johannesburg is still closed after a fire in April despite an assessment that most of the building is structurally sound. 

DOCTORS CALL FOR SAFE SECTIONS OF THE HOSPITAL TO BE REOPENED

Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC said senior doctors have called for safe sections of the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital to be reopened as soon as possible. 

“It is unclear why this has not happened despite promises by the provincial government.” 

Bloom said patients who are most affected include cancer patients who need chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and kidney patients who require dialysis.

“It is critical that the ICU beds at the hospital for Covid-19 patients are available for use as soon as possible as we face a devastating third wave of the epidemic.” 

Bloom added that the Gauteng public health system is in crisis as other hospitals are crowded with hundreds of Charlotte Maxeke Hospital patients.

“There needs to be accountability for the failure to speedily reopen this 1000-bed hospital, as it is causing immense suffering to patients and will lead to deaths the longer it is closed.” 

CLOSURE COULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH SYSTEM AMID THE THIRD WAVE OF COVID-19 INFECTIONS 

IOL recently reported that the parliament’s portfolio committee for health is concerned that the continued closure of the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMAJH) will have a negative impact on the ability of the Gauteng public health system to manage the third wave of COVID-19 infections.

The committee’s chairperson, Dr. Sibongiseni Dhlomo, said they had conducted an oversight visit to Gauteng to assess the province’s healthcare facilities in rolling out phase 2 of the vaccination programme as well as measures in place to manage infections.

“It will be practically impossible for the province to manage the third wave without the more than 1 000 beds which are inclusive of 124 Intensive Care Unit beds at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMAJH).”

Meanwhile, it was reported that Wits University’s Health Sciences Faculty has joined the call to reopen the hospital. Medical students at the university use the academic hospital for their clinical work. 

ALSO READ: Watch: Terrified patients evacuated as Charlotte Maxeke Hospital burns

COLLAPSE OF AN ALREADY UNSTABLE SYSTEM

The institution said with the COVID-19 third wave, this might lead to the “collapse of an already unstable system”.

Health Sciences Faculty Dean, Professor Martin Veller, said the hospital’s closure not only had an impact on patients who needed care but also on medical students. 

The Gauteng Health Department said it’s still waiting for the green light from the City of Johannesburg, eNCA recently reported.

Authorities say a plan to reopen the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in phases is being implemented, a date for which will be announced soon. For now, patients will have to wait or find alternative facilities to treat them.

Shortly after the fire in April, the department said all affected patients would be transferred back to Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in a phased manner over the weekend of 1 May and hospital services are expected to resume from 3 May.

“The safety of staff and patients as well as the quality of care provided to every patient remain the most important priorities of the Gauteng Provincial Government and the Hospital Mangament as we prepare for the resumption of services,” said the department in a statement.

ALSO READ: Charlotte Maxeke Hospital to return patients and resume services by 3 May