Bara operations cancelled due to shortage of clean linen — DA's Bloom

A shortage of clean linen at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto has allegedly led to cancellations of scheduled operations in the past three weeks.

This is according to DA Gauteng shadow health MEC Jack Bloom who said the shortage appears to be caused by broken machinery at the hospital’s in-house laundry in yet another instance of poor maintenance causing a disruption in health services.

“Meanwhile, doctors are frustrated that surgery has to be cancelled even though there are long waiting lists. In the case of hip and knee surgery, many patients have waited years for these operations only to be bitterly disappointed when they are cancelled,” Bloom said.

Bloom said theatre patients also freeze in the cold weather because there are no blankets.

“Laundry shortages are common in Gauteng public hospitals because they have to use the five provincial-owned laundries which are notoriously inefficient.”

Bloom said it was “terribly disappointing that this hospital has to battle with so many avoidable problems, including food shortages earlier this year.”

Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital spokesperson Nkosiyethu Mazibuko said the hospital has experienced “challenges” due to a boiler malfunctioning.

“However the hospital has measures in place` such as disposable linen for the scheduled operations,” Mazibuko said.

He said the hospital was also using private companies to ensure that linen does get washed.

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