By Buziwe Nocuze
- Families say they are forced to buy painkillers and medicine from pharmacies while their loved ones wait without help at Khayelitsha District Hospital.
- Hospital management admits a shortage of staff and beds, saying weekend trauma cases and long stays make the overcrowding worse.
Patients at Khayelitsha District Hospital in Cape Town are being forced to sleep on the floor because there are not enough beds.
One patient, who asked to remain anonymous, said they were admitted on Friday last week and spent the entire weekend on the floor.
“The situation is bad. I have been sleeping on the floor, some on chairs unattended. You come to the hospital sick and you get worse while waiting to be assisted,” they said.
Some families have decided to take their loved ones home without treatment. Others have bought painkillers and other medicine from pharmacies to bring to their relatives waiting inside the hospital.
“Their service is bad and instead of things getting better, they are worse,” said 45-year-old resident Nandipha Godlwana. “Taking your relatives to that hospital is stressful. Their staff are slow and always complaining about the shortage of staff. People get sick while waiting on the chairs and sleeping on the floor.”
Nandipha said last month she had to watch her sick sister sleep on the tiles of the hospital floor. “The tiles are cold and made things even more difficult for her. It is not acceptable.”
Hospital spokesperson Abulele Dyasi said overcrowding was a major problem, especially on weekends when emergency trauma and violence cases increase.
“The hospital serves a large and growing community and our staff are under enormous pressure. Unfortunately, the high volume of patients seeking emergency care and requiring admission to our medical wards affects patient waiting times,” Dyasi said.
She added that the hospital is short of specialised nurses but is trying to fill posts and bring in staff from nearby facilities. She admitted that some patients end up waiting in chairs or on stretchers until beds become available.
“Delays in getting a bed are also caused when patients need care for a longer period before they can safely leave, which slows down our capacity to admit new patients,” Dyasi said.
She warned families not to remove patients or bring their own medication without speaking to hospital staff, as it could create serious risks.
Pictured above: Patients at Khayelitsha district hospital forced to sleep on the floor due to overcrowding.
Image source: Supplied
