CEILING COLLAPSES IN TEMBISA HOSPITAL LABOUR WARD

Newly born babies and their mothers could have died when the ceiling collapsed at the Tembisa Hospital's Labour Ward last week on Thursday.

This terrible incident happened at about 1.30 pm in a busy ward that delivers between 30 and 40 babies a day.

I am relieved that there were no serious injuries although a staff member got bruised by falling debris.

The damage is extensive and patients have been moved to another ward while contractors are working to repair the ceiling.

It is expected that the ward will only reopen in a week's time. See picture of the damage here.

Walk-in patients are still being attended to, but ambulances are diverting expectant mothers to neighbouring hospitals.

It appears that the ceiling was damaged by water from the tornado that hit the area in July last year.

It follows the roof collapse at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital earlier this year.

This highlights the need for building inspections to identify weak points in hospitals where tragedies could happen.

We should never compromise in ensuring that hospital buildings are safe places were people get healed and not injured.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 23 July 2017