‘Eventually, something’s going to break and there’ll be no health care’: Charlotte Maxeke insider’s warning

Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital. Picture: iStock A person close to operations at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital has warned that if the issues plaguing the facility are not resolved, the hospital risks a broader medical collapse. The source, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, disputed the department’s version of events regarding recent shortages of dialysis consumables and said patient care had been directly compromised.

The claims follow an earlier report in which Gauteng department of health spokesperson Steve Mabona said dialysis services at the hospital had continued without interruption despite supply challenges. Last week, Mabona said the hospital experienced low levels of sodium bicarbonate solution roughly three weeks earlier due to delays in the procurement process, but that contingency measures kept the service running. “Contrary to reports that the hospital had completely run out of consumables, the facility maintained continuity of care by implementing contingency measures.

As a result, no dialysis treatments were missed, no procedures were cancelled or postponed,” Mabona said at the time. The reliable source rejected this version of events, tellingThe Citizenthe situation had been serious enough to compromise patient care over an extended period. According to the source, the intensive care unit had gone without filters required for continuous renal replacement therapy for two months and no other facility had been able to lend the hospital supplies because the account with the filter supplier had allegedly been placed on hold.

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“The statement that they had borrowed filters for the dialysis machine and ICU is nonsense,” the source said. They described continuous renal replacement therapy as a life-sustaining intervention required by roughly two intensive care patients a week, meaning between eight and 10 patients a month would likely have gone without the treatment during the two-month shortfall. Pressure following media coverage of the shortage appeared to prompt some movement from the department and its supplier, according to the reliable source.

“The province then finally agreed that they would start payment runs again in August. The company has agreed to release limited stock until the account is settled,” the source said.

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