Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) has suspended all theatre operations and others clinical works that require running water because of water crisis that affected the hospital due to a burst pipe at the hospital campus.

Some QECH medical personnel confided in our reporters that the hospital could not conduct any operation because some materials they use were still unwashed due to lack of water.

“We have some cloths and tools that we use during operations which need to be washed after an operation is conducted. Following the water crisis, we were advised not to send any patients for operations unless the situation normalises,” said worker.

The official said they were forced to only conduct Cesarean Section deliveries because of their urgency.

It has been learnt that since Monday, patients and guardians were exposed to poor sanitation as there was bad smell in various departments at the hospital while the floor could not be mopped.

Even though Blantyre Water Board (BWB) provided the hospital with water through its bowsers, this was not enough to also cater for guardians who needed water to prepare food.

“On Wednesday at least by 11 am, some theatre staff were told to knock off since all operations were suspended until the restoration of water at the hospital,” said another staff member, adding that the dental department has also been non-functional.

At around lunch hour, the running water was back but at this time some staff had already called it a day and the environment was yet to return to its normal state.

QECH’s Principal Administrator, Gibson Mgwira, said the water problem came about after an underground pipe burst.
“It was a big problem and we had to replace the pipe. The BWB team worked on the problem the whole of Tuesday until Wednesday around 11:30 am,” he said.

Mgwira added that the hospital’s operations were affected such that materials which were used for emergency operations at the theatre were sent to Chiradzulu hospital for cleaning.

“Water is life. Where there is no water there is likely to be poor sanitation and QECH was no exception,” he said.
BWB Public Relations Officer, Priscilla Mateyu, said the pipe connecting to the main one burst, hence the problem which she said QECH reported only on Tuesday.