Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 20-04-2017
The MEC for Health in Gauteng has revealed that health facilities in the province inspected by the labour department has found bio-hazard and other safety issues have failed to meet the required standards in the last three years.
Gwen Ramokgopa was responding to questions by the Democratic Alliance (DA) Jack Bloom in the Gauteng Legislature.
Bloem says that according to Ramokgopa facilities which include Chris Hani Baragwanath, Helen Joseph, George Mukhari, Pretoria West & Sebokeng Hospital, amongst others received either a non-compliance finding or contravention notice for hazardous biological agents, construction, noise measurements and occupational hazards.
“It is very worrying because hazardous biological agents are infectious and toxic. They cause allergic reactions such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis‚ allergic rhinitis‚ some types of asthma and organic dust toxic syndrome.”
Bloem says Ramokgopa attributed the failures to “old poor buildings, infrastructure and equipment” and also “ever-increasing patients load, re-emerging of infectious diseases, burden of HIV and TB and general overload in health facilities.
He says the huge maintenance backlog leads to contraventions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act that increases risks such as the recent roof collapse at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital.
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