The mayhem at the polyclinic on the premises of the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein on Monday (03/07) was due to a malfunctioning circuit breaker, says the provincial Department of Health.
Smoke and a burning smell, caused by a worn-out circuit breaker inside the clinic’s switchboard, spread panic as patients and the clinic staff evacuated the facility. This occurred at about 12:00, while clinic staff were attending to patients.
Mondli Mvambi, provincial spokesperson for the department, has confirmed the incident, adding that patients were ordered to evacuate for safety reasons. He has refuted allegations that patients were sent home.
“Patients were asked to go outside while technicians were investigating a possible breaker malfunction,” he said.
Mvambi has further downplayed the disruption of services rendered to patients.
“Services continued as normal after technicians fixed the breaker.”
Panic among the clinic workers and patients was apparently fuelled by concerns about non-compliance lingering at Free State health facilities, as informed by findings of the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) and the Department of Labour.
A recent report by the OHSC, the government’s watchdog agency for inspecting hospitals and clinics, revealed an appalling situation. Only two out of 32 hospitals in the province have been deemed compliant with basic health standards.
The two hospitals that received compliance certificates are the Botshabelo District Hospital and the Phekolong District Hospital in Bohlokong, Bethlehem.
- In January last year, the provincial Department of Labour temporarily closed the polyclinic due to its status of non-compliance to occupational health and safety (OHS) standards.
