IN CONVERSATION WITH DR JACK BLOOM MPL,DA GAUTENG SHADOW MEC FOR HEALTH
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Patients in need of urgent surgical care at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria are
reportedly being put at risk due to repeated failures of the air conditioning system in the
operating theatres. According to DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health Dr. Jack Bloom MPL,
the operating rooms have again exceeded safe temperature levels because the chillers and air
conditioning units are not functioning properly — forcing the cancellation or postponement
of critical surgeries.
Operating theatres must be maintained at about 18°C or lower to reduce the risk of infection,
provide a safe environment for surgical teams, and protect vulnerable patients — particularly
the elderly or those with trauma injuries such as broken bones. When temperatures rise above
this safe threshold, surgical procedures cannot proceed, and patient safety becomes
compromised.
This is not an isolated or new issue. Last year, the same facility experienced chiller failures
that disrupted surgical schedules, pointing to a deeper problem in hospital maintenance
protocols rather than a one-off breakdown.
The Democratic Alliance, through its Shadow Health MEC in Gauteng, is calling for:
A comprehensive overhaul of preventive maintenance systems in public hospitals,
Better resourcing and staffing for biomedical engineering and facilities management,
Immediate contingency measures to support patients whose surgeries are delayed,
Long-term infrastructure solutions that prevent predictable equipment failures.
The broader concern raised here is patient safety, equipment reliability, and accountability in
provincial health infrastructure. For families and patients, the delays are more than a
scheduling issue — they are a threat to health outcomes and dignity.
reportedly being put at risk due to repeated failures of the air conditioning system in the
operating theatres. According to DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health Dr. Jack Bloom MPL,
the operating rooms have again exceeded safe temperature levels because the chillers and air
conditioning units are not functioning properly — forcing the cancellation or postponement
of critical surgeries.
Operating theatres must be maintained at about 18°C or lower to reduce the risk of infection,
provide a safe environment for surgical teams, and protect vulnerable patients — particularly
the elderly or those with trauma injuries such as broken bones. When temperatures rise above
this safe threshold, surgical procedures cannot proceed, and patient safety becomes
compromised.
This is not an isolated or new issue. Last year, the same facility experienced chiller failures
that disrupted surgical schedules, pointing to a deeper problem in hospital maintenance
protocols rather than a one-off breakdown.
The Democratic Alliance, through its Shadow Health MEC in Gauteng, is calling for:
A comprehensive overhaul of preventive maintenance systems in public hospitals,
Better resourcing and staffing for biomedical engineering and facilities management,
Immediate contingency measures to support patients whose surgeries are delayed,
Long-term infrastructure solutions that prevent predictable equipment failures.
The broader concern raised here is patient safety, equipment reliability, and accountability in
provincial health infrastructure. For families and patients, the delays are more than a
scheduling issue — they are a threat to health outcomes and dignity.
