Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Parktown, Johannesburg, has been closed for a week after a fire on Friday.
Gauteng premier David Makhura, who visited the hospital on Saturday, said patients who needed medication and care should go to nearby hospitals.
“Patients should not come with immediate effect. The services are suspended. There should be no patient who comes here because they will not be admitted,” he said.
Makhura said the fire had been contained. “It is not in the wards but in parking bays. A floor of one of the parking bays has caved in.”
Gauteng health department spokesperson Kwara Kekana on Friday said the fire affected the dispensary where all the dry and medical items are kept. Kekana said hospital and clinical services had not been affected.
In a statement on Saturday, the Gauteng government said firefighters were working to bring the fire under control, and its cause was still unknown.
“The primary focus at this stage is to save lives and ensure a total evacuation of all the remaining 270 patients to other facilities. The evacuation of patients is a safety precaution due to concern of smoke contamination,” it said.
More than 415 patients were evacuated from Charlotte Maxeke and sent to various facilities across the province, it added.
“The Gauteng provincial government has activated the provincial call centre to allow family members of the patients to obtain more information about which facilities their loved ones have been transferred to.
“Families and loved ones can contact the Gauteng citizens relationship management (hotline) on 0800 22 8827, 0800 428 8364 or e-mail the hotline@gauteng.gov.za or support@gauteng.gov.za.”
TimesLIVE
Charlotte Maxeke Hospital closed for a week after fire
Image: https://maps.google.co.za/
Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Parktown, Johannesburg, has been closed for a week after a fire on Friday.
Gauteng premier David Makhura, who visited the hospital on Saturday, said patients who needed medication and care should go to nearby hospitals.
“Patients should not come with immediate effect. The services are suspended. There should be no patient who comes here because they will not be admitted,” he said.
Makhura said the fire had been contained. “It is not in the wards but in parking bays. A floor of one of the parking bays has caved in.”
Gauteng health department spokesperson Kwara Kekana on Friday said the fire affected the dispensary where all the dry and medical items are kept. Kekana said hospital and clinical services had not been affected.
In a statement on Saturday, the Gauteng government said firefighters were working to bring the fire under control, and its cause was still unknown.
“The primary focus at this stage is to save lives and ensure a total evacuation of all the remaining 270 patients to other facilities. The evacuation of patients is a safety precaution due to concern of smoke contamination,” it said.
More than 415 patients were evacuated from Charlotte Maxeke and sent to various facilities across the province, it added.
“The Gauteng provincial government has activated the provincial call centre to allow family members of the patients to obtain more information about which facilities their loved ones have been transferred to.
“Families and loved ones can contact the Gauteng citizens relationship management (hotline) on 0800 22 8827, 0800 428 8364 or e-mail the hotline@gauteng.gov.za or support@gauteng.gov.za.”
TimesLIVE
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