Two critically ill babies had to be put into one bed in the neo-natal intensive care unit this weekend
A CRITICAL shortage of beds forced staff at a Gauteng hospital to put two critically ill babies in one bed in the neo-natal intensive care unit this weekend.
George Mukhari Hospital chief executive Trevor Fisher yesterday confirmed that 15 babies had been placed in just eight beds in their unit.
This comes after last week's release of the complete report on the death last year of six babies at Johannesburg's Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital's neo-natal intensive care unit.
The babies died over a 24-hour period and the report said overcrowding had contributed to the rapid spread of the diarrhoea that killed the premature infants.
The mothers of the infants are planning to sue the provincial health department.
Said Fisher: "I had to instruct the nursing staff not to (put two babies in a bed) and to follow protocol."
He said that some of the babies, who were only in the ICU for observation, were moved to the high care unit "where they actually belong".
Fisher said overcrowding at Dr George Mukhari Hospital, which has "happened before", was partly due to advances in neonatal medicine.
DA provincial health spokesperson Jack Bloom said it was "sad that doctors will now have to make such difficult decisions", referring to the decision whether a baby is sent to ICU or to high care.
Shortage of beds hits Gauteng hospital
Two critically ill babies had to be put into one bed in the neo-natal intensive care unit this weekend
A CRITICAL shortage of beds forced staff at a Gauteng hospital to put two critically ill babies in one bed in the neo-natal intensive care unit this weekend.
George Mukhari Hospital chief executive Trevor Fisher yesterday confirmed that 15 babies had been placed in just eight beds in their unit.
This comes after last week's release of the complete report on the death last year of six babies at Johannesburg's Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital's neo-natal intensive care unit.
The babies died over a 24-hour period and the report said overcrowding had contributed to the rapid spread of the diarrhoea that killed the premature infants.
The mothers of the infants are planning to sue the provincial health department.
Said Fisher: "I had to instruct the nursing staff not to (put two babies in a bed) and to follow protocol."
He said that some of the babies, who were only in the ICU for observation, were moved to the high care unit "where they actually belong".
Fisher said overcrowding at Dr George Mukhari Hospital, which has "happened before", was partly due to advances in neonatal medicine.
DA provincial health spokesperson Jack Bloom said it was "sad that doctors will now have to make such difficult decisions", referring to the decision whether a baby is sent to ICU or to high care.
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