Gauteng Health Addresses Laundry Equipment Issues at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital

In response to these concerns, the department assured the public that measures are being implemented to ensure a continuous supply of clean linen to patients at the hospital.

The Gauteng Department of Health has appointed a service provider to repair the aging laundry equipment at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg. This comes after concerns were raised by nurses regarding infection control and cleanliness, following images of dirty linen circulating on social media.

In response to these concerns, the department assured the public that measures are being implemented to ensure a continuous supply of clean linen to patients at the hospital. Chris Hani Baragwanath, one of the largest hospitals in Africa with 2,888 beds, has been facing operational challenges in its laundry department due to outdated infrastructure.

Challenges with Laundry Equipment

The department explained that several pieces of laundry equipment at the hospital, including three tunnel washers, are currently out of service. Additionally, only five dryers in tunnel washer number two are operational. One of the four ironing machines has been repaired, with efforts underway to fix two others.

“We understand the concern raised by the public and staff regarding the state of cleanliness at the hospital. The aging laundry infrastructure requires substantial repairs, and we are committed to resolving the issue,” said the Gauteng Department of Health in a statement.

Temporary Measures for Clean Linen Supply

In the interim, the hospital has partnered with Dunswart Provincial Laundry, which is laundering linens daily to ensure a consistent supply to the hospital. Furthermore, 106 additional staff members have been deployed to work in the laundry section across both day and night shifts to increase capacity and efficiency.

To further enhance operations, two external laundry service providers have been appointed, with two five-ton trucks delivering clean linen to the hospital over the past weekend.

Wider Scope of Laundry Services

The in-house laundry service at Chris Hani Baragwanath is responsible for not only the hospital’s beds but also for supplying linen to Carletonville Hospital, Bheki Mlangeni Hospital, 33 community health centers in Soweto, emergency medical services, and the forensic pathology service.

Improvement Plan and Assurance

The Gauteng Department of Health has implemented a comprehensive plan to address the laundry backlog and reduce turnaround times for soiled linen. The department has promised that by December 13, 2024, the hospital will be able to replace soiled linen at a much faster rate.

“We are working diligently to restore the laundry department’s functionality as quickly as possible. The health and comfort of our patients remain our top priority,” the department stated.

With the ongoing efforts to repair and upgrade the hospital's laundry facilities, the department aims to ensure that infection control standards and cleanliness are maintained for all patients at Chris Hani Baragwanath and surrounding healthcare facilities.