Low water pressure affects Helen Joseph Hospital services
The Helen Joseph Hospital (HJH) is still battling low water pressure that started affecting parts of the hospital over the weekend.
Wards affected include the Emergency Department, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and various wards on the upper floor of the hospital.
Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Rodney Pheto, says majority of wards are affected as it’s from the second floor of the hospital and upwards.
“When there is low water pressure this affects the delivery of water to upper floors of the hospital building which impacts on services.
“The HJH management is closely monitoring the situation and has put in place measures to divert Priority 1 (emergency and critical) and Priority 2 (urgent but stable) patients to other facilities when necessary.”
Pheto adds that water tankers have been dispatched to the hospital to assist with the challenges faced.
“Johannesburg Water has dispatched water tankers onsite to continue pumping water into the hospital. This intervention is to ensure the continuation of some of the hospital services.
“However, it is not sufficient to maintain the much-needed water pressure in the system. The HJH would like to apologise to patients, staff and the public for the inconvenience caused by the current situation.”
Pheto says they are forced to divert patients every four to six hours and they are concerned about the impact on other facilities, include the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital.
A number of surgeries have also already had to be cancelled.
Technicians from Johannesburg Water and the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) are currently investigating the cause of the low water pressure in order to restore the water supply to the hospital back to normal.
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