The Gauteng Health Department has secured a R275 million boost to tackle critical shortages in hospital linen, beds, and mattresses.
This follows a series of articles that The Star exposed, highlighting critical shortages of linen across Gauteng hospitals. Investigations revealed that aging laundry equipment, delayed procurement processes, and mismanagement have left hospitals struggling to provide clean bedding for patients.
In some facilities, patients were forced to share sheets, wait long periods for fresh linen, or even bring their own, highlighting serious gaps in basic care.
Healthcare workers have warned that the shortage was more than an inconvenience, it posed a significant risk to patient safety. Without adequate clean linen, the likelihood of hospital-acquired infections rises, putting vulnerable patients at further risk.
Nurses and support staff have repeatedly raised concerns, emphasising that the problem is systemic and requires urgent intervention from the provincial health department.
The Gauteng Department of Health previously acknowledged the challenges but said efforts were underway to address the issue. Plans included upgrading laundry facilities, streamlining procurement, and increasing staff training to ensure linen is managed effectively.
However, experts stressed that without swift and sustained action, the province’s public health system will continue to struggle with one of the most basic yet essential aspects of patient care.
Democratic Alliance Gauteng Shadow Health MEC Jack Bloom welcomed the R275 million in the Gauteng Adjustment Budget, which is to be used to fund the procurement of linen, mattresses, and beds in hospitals.
Bloom shared that during his oversight visits to several Gauteng hospitals, he found patients sleeping on plastic liners, while blankets or pyjamas were being substituted for sheets on beds.
He also noted that the Gauteng Health Department had previously claimed there was no shortage of linen.
“In a written reply to my questions, Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko admitted that 870 beds at Bara did not have a full set of linen. Each hospital bed should have at least five full sets of linen to ensure proper rotation: one on the bed, one in laundry, one in storage, one in transit and one in contingency stock,” he said.
Bloom further reiterated that another major issue is ensuring the linen is properly cleaned, as provincial laundries are poorly managed and machines often break down.
“Adequate clean linen is vital for patient comfort and to prevent infections,” he said. He also revealed that the DA will continue to push for improvements to ensure patients never suffer a clean linen shortage.
The Star