WHEELCHAIR REPAIR CRISIS IN GAUTENG

Hundreds of disabled people cannot move around because the Gauteng Health Department has not paid repair companies.

The Occupational Therapy Department at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital used to repair and maintain wheelchairs, but when this service was discontinued four years ago it was outsourced to private companies. 

These companies will no longer do repairs because they are owed large amounts of money.

There is a particular problem in repairing battery-operated wheelchairs. Some assistance is fortunately rendered by Rotary International in fixing the ordinary wheelchairs.

Homes for the disabled are struggling because wheelchairs are a lifeline for their residents. At St Giles Home in Bezuidenhout Valley in east Johannesburg, for instance, they have seven broken electronic wheelchairs.

I have seen for myself broken wheelchairs lying in the sun at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital because of delays in sending them out for repair (photos available on request). Many of these wheelchairs could easily be repaired in-house.

The Gauteng Health Department cannot abandon its responsibility to repair wheelchairs. Repair companies must be paid and the wheelchairs made operational as soon as possible.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesman, August 27 2012

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