Patients at King Edward Hospital in Durban in KwaZulu Natal claim that that they are being forced to sleep on the floor. A picture is circulating on social media of patients lying flat on the floor as there are no beds to accommodate sick patient. A patient at the hospital, who wished not to be named, told Zimoja that from the 24th of September, she had to rely on cupboards and bed sheets because she was forced to sleep on the floor. "I'm grateful that I was discharged yesterday. I had to sleep on cupboards and bed sheets. I don't want to lie the problem is the scarcity of beds and chairs. The scarcity of beds was not only affecting us who were are sick but also the people who had given birth. I enquired with management and they told me that the situation was beyond their control. The treatment of patients in that hospital is poor. When you are new and sick or there to give birth, you automatically qualify to have a bed. But when you have been there for a long time, you are forced to lose your bed to a new patient," she said.

FORCED TO SLEEP ON THE FLOOR

Another source, whose child was admitted at the hospital, said there were not even chairs for the parents to sleep on as they look after their children. "I'm grateful that my child was discharged yesterday. It is a horror hospital and I wish to know the person  who is tasked with running that hospital. This is a shame and I want the world to know that in 2022 we are still being forced to sleep on floor in a government facility."she said. 

DEPARTMENT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM

Spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health Ntokozo Maphisa said, "The Department is concerned by what is portrayed in that image. Following the circulation of the image, our Head of Department Dr Sandile Tshabalala immediately went to the facility, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the situation. As a department, we can state unequivocally that, even with challenges such as lack of space in that particular ward, the hospital does provide reclining chairs for mothers who wish to be closer to their babies, or breastfeed them, while they receive medical treatment.  These mothers are not forced or allowed to sleep on the floor.  Even with shrinking financial resources, the department will always endeavour to protect and maintain the dignity of these mothers. In fact, the hospital has already begun a process to procure more recliners in order to add to the existing capacity and replace those that are dysfunctional."