Power has now been restored to the South Rand District Hospital in Gauteng following a power outage which hit the health facility earlier this week.
Before 5am on Friday, Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba announced that power has been restored to the institution situated in the southern part of Joburg, in Rosettenville.
On Thursday, the Gauteng Department of Health informed community members and relatives of patients currently admitted at the facility that the power outage experienced at the facility was receiving attention.
“The matter was reported to the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development who have since appointed a contractor on an urgent basis to work on restoring the electricity supply,” said Modiba in an update.
South Rand District Hospital had been operating on generators since Tuesday, after power supply went off.
“This was reported to City Power on the same day. The utility only responded on Thursday morning and upon investigation, established that the problem might be emanating from a faulty cable on the hospital’s internal infrastructure which connects electricity to the facility,” said Modiba on Thursday.
The hospital has issued an “unconditional apology” all affected people.
Meanwhile, Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko together with the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of First Rand Bank Limited, Mary Vilakazi will today officially handover the newly refurbished and upgraded medical acute care unit at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.
Modiba said the newly refurbished and upgraded medical acute care unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital will provide much needed bed capacity for acutely ill patients who need organ support or very close clinical observation.
The now modernised medical acute care unit with 24 beds - 22 functional and two for isolation - will admit and treat patients that need high care in a modernised and therapeutic environment.
The unit is able to accommodate eight ventilated patients plus patients on non-invasive ventilation, and those on high flow oxygen therapy.
“The plumbing in all the cubicles in the unit has been installed in a way that will allow for dialysis for patients with kidney failure. Each bedded unit has been upgraded to specifications needed for a high care bed which includes eight plug points as well as points for oxygen x2, vacuum x2 and one medical gas point. The beds are also equipped with a continuous vital signs monitor as well as a movable examination light and emergency call button,” said Modiba.
“The HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system of the refurbished medical acute care unit has been overhauled to enable the required standards of temperature control and air changes per hour. The gas-trap bottle was replaced. The sluice room has also been fitted with an extraction fan (air conditioning).”
Modiba added that the unit’s electricity supply has been upgraded to include full Isoloc systems, UPS connection and emergency lighting.
Each cubicle has dimmable patient lights as well as bright lighting.
“These refurbishments and upgrades that are worth R3,145,250 were done through a donation from the South African Pandemic Intervention and Relief Effort (SPIRE), a division of the FNB Philanthropy Donor Choice Foundation Trust. In addition to the refurbishments and upgrades, SPIRE fitted a park home that was donated to the hospital by the Caring Women’s Forum with electricity connection, lighting, power points, plumbing, kitchenette and storage shelves,” said Modiba.
“This park home will be used by staff as a resting area amongst others.”
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