Question NW862 to the Minister of Health
25 April 2016 - NW862
Chewane, Dr H to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What is the (a) total number of beds and (b) shortage of beds at Butterworth Hospital; (2) how many patients are currently using benches as beds as a result of the shortage of beds in the specified hospital?
Reply:
According to the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health, the response is as follows:
- Butterworth Hospital has a total of 260 usable beds.
- There are no patients from the hospital that end up sleeping on benches. This is reflected in the hospital bed occupancy which range from 70%-75%. However, the problem arises when patients from the rural areas are referred by Butterworth Hospital to Frere or Cecilia Makiwane Hospitals. In order to be on time for the patient transport, they opt to sleep at the hospital’s patient waiting are the night before or when they return from these referrals, it is usually late in the day and they can no longer find transport back to their homes, and they opt to sleep on the benches at the hospital waiting area.
END.