The Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg is now fully functional after parts of the hospital were damaged during a gas tanker explosion on Christmas eve last year. The gas tanker tragedy claimed 41 lives including 12 health workers from the hospital which is 100 meters from where the incident took place.?

AFFECTED SECTIONS RE-OPENED ?

The impact of the explosion affected the Accident and Emergency Department, Radiology Department and other sections of the hospital, resulting in damages to the ceiling and some windows in the Antenatal Care Department, Operating Theatre and various other sections. Gauteng MEC for Health Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited the hospital on Monday for a walkabout around after the refurbishment . She said she was pleased to announce that the diversion of all patient categories and departments is immediately effective. "This followed the testing and quality checks of the clinical machines and the subsequent lifting of the prohibition notice by the Department of Labour, thus allowing access to the affected sections.'?

THE COST

Nkomo-Ralehoko said the repairs only cost the department R3.3 million, an R14.7 million difference from what the department of Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development MEC said it would cost. MEC Lebogang Maile put the cost of the damage at R18 million soon after reviewing the extent of it while MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko disputed the figure and said it will not cost them not more than R10 million. ?

THE LIVES LOST AND SPARED

 Nkomo-Ralehoko said the health sector was dealt a heavy blow when 12 health care workers lost their lives in the explosion and 8 firefighters of the Ekurhuleni emergency services survived with major injuries. "We have lost lives but are thankful for those that were spared. Fortunately, all eight firefighters have since been discharged from the hospital. A further 33 staff from the hospital suffered injuries and were treated as outpatients. Most of them have since returned to work except for three who are yet to come back to work.'?

HOSPITAL TO CATCH UP?

After the incident staff members had to be allocated to neighbouring facilities but they have since been asked to return to the facility, "All services have now been restored and the hospital will embark on a catch-up process to reschedule patients who would have missed their scheduled appointments for surgery and radiology services. At the heart of this is the role of primary health care as hospitals offer a higher level of care after patients are transferred from clinics," she said.  Nkomo-Ralehoko said the Gauteng Department of Social Development has been liaising with affected people and continues to offer trauma therapy to families and assist with food parcels to those that need such assistance. Social workers have been allocated to the families to offer further support.