'Service continues' despite second fire at Tembisa Hospital: deputy minister

Deputy minister of health Dr Joe Phaahla reassured the public of the continuation of services despite a second fire breaking out at the main outpatient department of Tembisa Hospital on Wednesday morning.

Firefighters from Ekurhuleni responded swiftly to the incident and had effectively extinguished the fire by about 8am.

“The department appeals for calm and patience. As things stand, all patients receiving care at the hospital are safe,” Phaahla said.

He said the department was doing everything possible to ensure patients were safe and receiving the necessary care.

“We are grateful that while all this has been happening, where serious damage has happened and where we have lost valuable equipment, no person has been injured,” Phaahla said.

The Gauteng health department said the main outpatient area was cordoned off and the power supply isolated after the first fire on Saturday afternoon. This meant there were no patients in the area at the time of the second incident.

It said the smoke spread to the eye clinic and pharmacy nearby.

The smoke also affected areas that were initially cleared from the Saturday fire such as the surgical outpatient department, the medical outpatient department, the family medicine and administration block which were meant to be the alternative accident and emergency service area. These areas are undergoing a reclearing process, involving air quality assessments and issuing of new electrical certificate of compliance.

The causes of both incidents are still under investigation by various law enforcement teams and regulators.

The hospital said it was not yet accepting patients by ambulance for emergencies but walk-in patients were being attended to.

The hospital said patients were encouraged to make use of their local clinics and come to the hospital only after being referred. Critical services were continuing in designated areas or departments within the hospital.

A help desk has been established to provide information and to redirect patients and the public on site. People  whose family members are admitted at the hospital are still able to visit them during normal visiting hours of 2pm-4pm using gate 4.

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