AMMAN — The director of the
South Shouneh Hospital said on Tuesday that the hospital was taking rapid steps to ensure its dialysis department can safely reopen following the discovery of a bacteria in its water supply on Sunday.
اضافة اعلان
Dr Fayez Al-Kharabsheh, director of the South Shouneh Hospital, told
Jordan News that a routine test of the hospital’s water lead to the discovery of Pseudomonas bacteria, which are known to cause pneumonia and other infections. The bacteria were present in the hospital’s water treatment unit, the director said, “which feeds the dialysis department”.
No patients were harmed, Kharabsheh stressed. The decision “to stop the dialysis process was taken immediately,” he assured, adding that “patients were transported to continue dialysis at the Al-Salt and Princess Iman hospitals in (
Balqa),” he said.
The director explained that a specialized testing laboratory had been contacted, who said the indicators were “reassuring”, but that another 24 hours would be required for their results to be conclusive.
The whole water treatment will be sterilized, and the rest of the hospital’s water is “good, based on daily checks,” he noted. These bacteria are usually found in the intensive care department and the burn department, according to the hospital director.
For his part, Director of the Balqa Health Directorate Dr Saeb Abu Aboud confirmed the presence of the bacteria and the steps taken by the hospital.
On the medical sterilization teams, Abu Aboud noted that “the bacteria are common ... and (were) detected from the beginning,” attributing the prevention of infections or complications to the teams’ diligence.
Three separate samples were taken following the sterilization of the water treatment unit. If the results are negative, the South Shouneh Hospital’s dialysis department is scheduled to reopen on Thursday.
Fouad Al-Barahma, a 67-year-old dialysis patient at the hospital, said “The hospital took early measures to prevent the transmission of infection to patients, and the section was closed until the results.” Patients were offered a ride two the two alternative hospitals. “There were 45 of us, and seven beds in the department,” he told
Jordan News. “The process takes about four hours.”
Barahma hoped the department reopened soon; “it’s the closest to where I live, and it’s a two-hour round trip to
Salt Hospital.”
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