Johannesburg – The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) says it is “extremely concerned” about the poor standard of cleanliness and low-quality patient care at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.
DENOSA blames the ongoing shortage of clean linen on the breakdown of washing machines in the laundry facility.
The build-up of piles of laundry was also a cause of concern, the union said.
The matter was first raised last month, on 13 November, by MPL Jack Bloom, the Democratic Alliance Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health.
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“As a result, seeing uncollected and soiled linen piling up in various units and corridors of the hospital has become a daily norm, which worries nurses about the compromised standard of cleanliness in the facility,” DENOSA in the City of Johannesburg (Central Wits) said in a statement on Sunday, (8 December 2024).
“Because of the way the linen is stored, it is highly likely that most of it may not be fit for reuse as it would have been damaged permanently.
“The facility is now reliant on the assistance of outside service providers and good Samaritans for the washing of its linen, which often takes longer to wait for clean linen due to the size of the hospital.”
The laundry area was so full, that some of the dirty linen in bundles was simply left outside.
DENOSA said the hospital had been using only two washing machines at the laundry after one machine broke down and was never repaired.
“As of November, the remaining two machines also ceased to operate, leaving the hospital without any means to clean its linen,” DENOSA said.
“For nursing and many other healthcare professionals, cleanliness in a facility is one of the key contributory factors to better infection control measures.”
DENOSA said the lack of clean linen was negatively affecting the way the patients were cared for.
“Nurses are facing the anger and aggressive behaviour of the patients’ relatives when they see the state of filth they are in… a matter that is outside the control of the nursing staff,” lamented the nurses union.
DENOSA said it has brought this matter to the management’s attention at the facility, which has also come to affect the work of the nurses.
DENOSA called on the MEC of Health in the province to intervene and resolve the matter urgently.
The union said the largest hospital in Africa can not be allowed to have a non -functioning laundry.
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (colloquially known as Bara) is the largest hospital in Africa and the seventh largest hospital in the world.
The hospital has 6 760 staff members, and 3 400 beds.
