The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital Fire: Our Orthopaedic Surgery Disaster Management and Lessons Learnt

Authors

  • Dr. Collen Sandile Nkosi Senior Orthopaedic Registrar, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, South Africa; Orthopaedic Department, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Lunga Mbuqe MBBCH (Wits), Medical Officer, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, South Africa
  • Philani Ian Ntombela MBChB (UKZN), FC Ortho (SA), MMed (Wits), PG diploma Health Research (Oxford) Fellow in Tumour and Sepsis Unit
  • Maxwell Jingo PhD (Wits), Senior Research Coordinator, Orthopaedic Department, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Mmampapatla Thomas Ramokgopa MBChB (UKZN), FCS (Orth) SA, MSc (Wits), Head of Orthopaedic Department, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47672/ajhmn.1440

Keywords:

Academic Hospital, Hospital Fire, Orthopaedic Surgery, Disaster Management, Lessons Learnt

Abstract

Purpose: This report aims to review the orthopaedic doctor's experiences and to provide insight for the formulation of response measures for similar incidents in the future.We further report on our orthopaedic surgery disaster management and lessons learnt

Methodology: A retrospective review of orthopaedic patients who were admitted at Chris Hani Baragwanath academic hospital (CHBAH) from the 01 April to 30 April 2021, the month of the fire incident. Data were obtained from the hospital casualty, inpatient registers, and outpatient registers. Data were compared before and after the fire incident.

Findings: Transfer was provided to 51 patients to CHBAH orthopaedic emergency unit. Forty-three (84.3%) were adult patients and eight (15.7%) were paediatric patients. There were fewer daily admissions to orthopaedic emergency unit in the last 15 days of the month of the disaster compared to the first 15 days, when the 51 cases from Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) were excluded (mean: 12.89 versus 13.26). The orthopaedic outpatient department doctor to patient ratio improved after the fire incident.

Recommendation: The four phases' disaster approach- preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation remain applicable to disaster management. Planning for emergencies the dedication of orthopaedic professionals and hospital employees can all contribute to the highest quality patient care.

 

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Author Biographies

Dr. Collen Sandile Nkosi , Senior Orthopaedic Registrar, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, South Africa; Orthopaedic Department, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

 

 

 

Lunga Mbuqe , MBBCH (Wits), Medical Officer, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, South Africa

 

 

Philani Ian Ntombela , MBChB (UKZN), FC Ortho (SA), MMed (Wits), PG diploma Health Research (Oxford) Fellow in Tumour and Sepsis Unit

 

 

Maxwell Jingo , PhD (Wits), Senior Research Coordinator, Orthopaedic Department, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

 

 

Mmampapatla Thomas Ramokgopa , MBChB (UKZN), FCS (Orth) SA, MSc (Wits), Head of Orthopaedic Department, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

 

 

References

Born C, Mamczak C, Pagenkopf E, et al. Disaster Management Response Guidelines for Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery. JBJS reviews. 2016;4(1). DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.RVW.O.00026

Born CT, Briggs SM, Ciraulo DL, et al. MD Disasters and Mass Casualties: I. General Principles of Response and Management, Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2007; 15 (7):388-396. doi:10.5435/00124635-200707000-00004

Disaster management Act. 2002. Government Gazette Vol. 451 Cape Town 15 January 2003 No. 2425. Republic of South Africa. Cape Town

Milsten, A. "Hospital responses to acute-onset disasters: a review." Prehospital and disaster medicine. (2000); 15(1): 32-45. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11066840/

Motara F, Moeng S, Mohamed A, Punwasi J. Medical disaster related to CMJAH fire. Wits Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021;3(2):139-140.DOI: 10.18772/26180197.2021.v3n2a8

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Published

2023-05-03

How to Cite

Sandile Nkosi , D. C. ., Lunga Mbuqe , L. M. ., Ian Ntombela , P. ., Jingo , M. ., & Thomas Ramokgopa , M. . (2023). The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital Fire: Our Orthopaedic Surgery Disaster Management and Lessons Learnt. American Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing Practice, 8(3), 13–21. https://doi.org/10.47672/ajhmn.1440

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 3 (2023): Vol 8 Issue 3

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2023 Dr. Collen Sandile Nkosi , Lunga Mbuqe , Philani Ian Ntombela , Maxwell Jingo , Mmampapatla Thomas Ramokgopa

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.