Two Gauteng health employees have suffered slight injuries after two separate ceilings collapsed at two provincial hospitals over the past two days.
On Thursday, part of the ceiling at Tembisa Hospital’s labour ward collapsed, injuring the hand of an employee from the nearby antenatal ward. No patients were injured. On Friday a section of ceiling caved in in the bathroom of a maternity ward at Pholosong Hospital in Tsakane, resulting in slight injuries for an employee.
The Department of Infrastructure Development has been tasked with determining the cause of the ceiling collapses, and carrying out repairs.
Gauteng department of health spokesperson Khutso Rabothata said Tembisa Hospital’s labour ward has been closed for repairs. All patients have been moved to a safe ward.
“We are working round the clock to ensure that renovations are completed very soon so that we [can] continue to service people in the hospital’s catchment area,” he said in a statement. While repairs to Tembisa Hospital’s labour ward are ongoing, some patients would be diverted to nearby hospitals.
Rabothata said health services have not been affected at Pholosong Hospital.
The ceiling collapses brings to three the number of Gauteng hospitals that have suffered from roof or ceiling cave-ins this year. In early March, a section of roof collapsed at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg, resulting in minor injuries to five people.
