The lives of patients with kidney problems are being put at risk at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg‚ a provincial legislator said on Wednesday.
Jack Bloom‚ the DA's Shadow Health MEC in Gauteng‚ said the danger had arisen as a result of a shortage of purified water for dialysis machines.
"Life-saving dialysis for kidney patients is being curtailed at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital because they are running short of purified dialysis water‚" Bloom said in a statement.
"I visited the hospital on Monday this week after receiving complaints and was told at the children’s ward they were using ordinary tap water for patients requiring emergency dialysis."
Lack of purified water puts lives of kidney dialysis patients at risk - Gauteng DA
The lives of patients with kidney problems are being put at risk at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg‚ a provincial legislator said on Wednesday.
Jack Bloom‚ the DA's Shadow Health MEC in Gauteng‚ said the danger had arisen as a result of a shortage of purified water for dialysis machines.
"Life-saving dialysis for kidney patients is being curtailed at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital because they are running short of purified dialysis water‚" Bloom said in a statement.
"I visited the hospital on Monday this week after receiving complaints and was told at the children’s ward they were using ordinary tap water for patients requiring emergency dialysis."
Bloom said some adult patients had been referred to Helen Joseph Hospital for dialysis‚ while others have had their treatment reduced by one hour.
"Patients have been told that the shortage arose last week because of a broken dialysis water tank‚" he said.
"This is a distressing situation that will put lives at risk if it carries on much longer. The Gauteng Health Department should ensure that the dialysis problem at this major hospital is fixed as soon as possible."