SEWAGE SPILLS INTO HELEN JOSEPH HOSPITAL

Raw sewage including human and surgical waste spilled into a passage of the Helen Joseph Hospital in west Johannesburg last Friday (pictures available on request).

It seeped out of manholes by the HIV/Aids clinic that is behind the hospital, creating an appalling stench for nearby patients and staff.

The problem is old collapsing pipes that need to be replaced urgently, but public works at the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development has been inexcusably slow to do this.

A quick clean-up job was done instead as American officials were due to visit the HIV/Aids clinic that is funded by American donor money.

I visited there yesterday and there was still an awful smell.

Sewage will shortly bubble up again if proper repair work continues to be delayed.

This is a totally unacceptable situation that compromises the hygiene of this hospital.

In my view, public works should fall entirely under the hospital, rather than a separate unresponsive department that leads to such a sewage disaster.

Statement by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesman, December 6 2010

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter