Gauteng dismisses reports that nurses exposed to infection at Joburg hospital

The Gauteng health department on Monday dismissed reports that nurses were exposed to infection at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

Spokesman Simon Zwane said the allegations were not true.

The Star newspaper has reported that nurses in the ICU ward fear being infected with methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) — due to inefficient cleaning up after highly infectious patients leave.

A nurse at the hospital told the newspaper that junior nurses were also made to work outside their scope, treating patients who should be seen by senior nurses.

“These allegations are untrue as no junior nurse dispenses medicine in this ward. Neurosurgery ICU is a highly specialised unit and it has a resident doctor on site at all times.

“Therefore no patient stays without being assessed for 10 days or more, said Zwane.

He said the ward in question was cleaned three times a day with mops and disinfectant solution.

“On discharge or death of a patient, curtains and all other items in the room are removed for washing and walls and floors are scrubbed.” 

MRSA can either be contracted through physical contact with an infected person or physical contact with objects touched by an infected person.

Zwane said the department was not aware of any nurse who contracted MRSA at hospital.

“The matter has not been officially reported to hospital management.”  

He said the only nurse who was away at the neurosurgery ICU was on sick leave after she underwent a surgical operation at a private hospital.