Surgeons are operating in dangerously high heat in the theatres at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital (CMJH) as the air-conditioning broke down last week, the DA has flagged.
This is the second major hospital to experience air-conditioning failure in the recent hot weather, as those at the Steve Biko Hospital failed last week, notes MedicalBrief.
"It is risky operating in high temperatures as it increases the risk of infection, but surgeons are reluctant to cancel operations at CMJH as there are long surgery waiting lists.
There needs to be a thorough overhaul of maintenance at our public hospitals, which are poorly served by the notoriously corrupt and incompetent Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development," Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng shadow MEC for health, said.
Major hospitals like CMJH and Steve Biko should be able to do their own maintenance and choose decent contractors who can do the job, Bloom added.
"Devolving maintenance and minor capital works would also help with challenges like the water shortages experienced by the Helen Joseph and Rahima Moosa hospitals."