Hailstorm forces hospital’s closure

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 General wards, Covid-19 isolation temporarily shut down

LINEO MABEKEBEKE

BOTHA-BOTHE – A large part of the Catholic Church owned Seboche Hospital premises was destroyed by the recent hailstorms that ravaged most parts of the country.

The heavy hailstorm is reported to have ripped off roofing in several structures, leaving holes through which water leaked into most of the hospital’s wards – with most damage in general wards and the Covid-19 isolation rooms.

In an interview with Public Eye, the Hospital Administrator, Sr Vitalina Doti, said though these wards and property were damaged no patient was injured during the incident.

Sr Doti said patients who had been housed in the affected awards were taken to the Botha-Bothe and Motebang Government Hospitals, with support from the Ministry of Health which ensured proper transfer, while patients who were almost recovering were discharged.

She continued that the hospital does not, at the moment, offer inpatients care because all the destroyed wards are closed, with only the outpatient and casualty services offered. Critical patients are being transferred to other hospitals in the district.

The administrator was worried, though, that should a similar storm be experienced more damage could be incurred to the remaining parts of the hospital “because we have not yet repaired the damaged areas, and repair work is not going to be easy.”

“Most of our roofing here is made from asbestos, and this material requires special attention and repair for things to return to normal,” she added. Although interruptions have been experienced, the hospital management remains hopeful that the ministry will offer them assistance soon.

At the moment there are still patients who rely on the facility to access health services, and Sr Doti has appealed to them to visit other nearest facilities for services. The Roman Catholic Church health institution is in the Diocese of Leribe, under the administration of the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa, USA.

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