Life-saving dialysis for kidney patients is being curtailed at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital because they are running short of purified dialysis water.

I visited the hospital on Monday this week after receiving complaints and was told at the children’s ward they were using ordinary tap water for patients requiring emergency dialysis.

Some adult kidney patients are being sent to Helen Joseph Hospital for dialysis while others are put on dialysis for three hours instead of the usual four hours.

Patients have been told that the shortage arose last week because of a broken dialysis water tank.

I have tried to get more details from the hospital CEO Gladys Bogoshi, but she has not responded to me.

This is a distressing situation that will put lives at risk if it carries on much longer.

The Gauteng Health Department should ensure that the dialysis problem at this major hospital is fixed as soon as possible.

 

Issued by DA