Taps run dry at the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi, with patients putting up with little to no water since floods hit KwaZulu Natal. They situation is said to be dire, one wonder as to what’s next for the hospital. Patients are having it hard as they cannot make use of the toilets.

The government has provided the hospital with JoJo tanks, situating them outside the hospital, leaving patients having to walk outside the hospital to fetch water. Intense stories of the dire situation at the hospital have been shared through a reporter, who has described the situation as “horrifying” to witness. According to the journalist on site, patients have to endure little to no water on a daily basis, with nurses also complaining of the smell at the hospital.

To make use of the toilet facilities, patients need to fetch water outside from the JoJo tanks.  “A few ladies who had delivered recently, were sharing that their babies need water to bath and are unable to wash their hands. One lady also shared that her baby needed water so she can make milk and unfortunately for some time being which was hours, her baby went without having milk because the kitchen did not have water for that time.”

Laundry keeps piling up, patients have to take turns in taking a bath outside using the supplied water. Visitors coming in to check on their families booked in at the hospital, have to make use of the toilets stationed outside the hospital, taking away from their visiting time.

Nurses on duty say the smell at the hospital is horrifying, not having water makes their job difficult as they had to leave some of their patients for a while due to lack of water. They are urging for  government and health department, to intervene in making access to water easier and convenient for both the patient and staff at the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital.

Courtesy of ENCA live reporting.

Patients at Prince Mshiyeni hospital in Umlazi have
had to put up with little to no water since floods hit the province. They say the situation is now dire. #eNCA reporter @LethiweMdlulii has been tracking this story. pic.twitter.com/5xGOVhAWvn

— eNCA (@eNCA) May 2, 2022