AIRCON FLOP STOPS OPS AT BARA HOSPITAL

Broken air-conditioners are forcing the cancellation of non-emergency surgery at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital as temperatures soar to unsafe levels in operating theatres.

The ideal operating temperature is about 18 degrees centigrade, but surgeons find themselves operating in temperatures as high as 29 degrees because of the recent hot weather.

The air-conditioners are down because the maintenance company has not been paid. High temperatures increase the likelihood of infection, which is why some major surgical operations were cancelled last week.

It is extremely uncomfortable for surgeons to work in hot conditions. Operations are being done with open theatre doors to try and bring the temperature down.

This situation is entirely unacceptable.

I have warned repeatedly about unpaid suppliers and the maintenance crisis at this hospital, but little has been done to improve the situation.

Now patients are put at risk and surgeons are at their wits end as they do their best under trying circumstances. Urgent action is needed to fix the cooling units and sort out all the other equipment failures that plague this hospital.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesman, September 11 2011

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