The Gauteng Department of Health has announced that there is going to be a planned medical gas shutdown at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital on Wednesday, April 16 from noon until 6pm.
According to the department, this is part of the ongoing remedial work project of reconstructing the damaged areas since the devastating fire incident that occurred exactly four years ago on April 16, 2021.
The department said a section of P4 will undergo demolition during the shutdown to facilitate rebuilding efforts which requires temporarily disconnecting and rerouting the medical gas supply pipeline.
This incident left many locals not knowing where to go for medical attention as it prompted the seven-day-long shut down of the hospital to assess the situation, where services were suspended and no patients were admitted into the hospital.
This is one of the many setbacks that the South African healthcare sector has been experiencing continuously, along staff shortages and patient and staff safety concerns.
To ensure uninterrupted patient care, all patients reliant on medical gas will be temporarily switched to gas cylinders. Emergency cases will be diverted to nearby facilities and all planned surgical procedures have been postponed, with a robust catch-up plan in place to minimise backlogs without disrupting future schedules.
The department's spokesperson, Motaletale Modiba said they have made major improvements to the hospital infrastructure with the completion of the Radiation Oncology Unit, the completion of the accident and emergency department and the addition of a new state-of-the-art dry store facility has been constructed to improve storage and accessibility.
"In light of these developments, the Department reassures the public that all measures have been taken to ensure continuous provision of quality healthcare services and urge the public to exercise patience during this period. It is our commitment to restore the hospital to its full operational capability while prioritising patient safety."
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