Kauthar H

POOR HYGIENE AND LACK OF BASIC FACILITIES

Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the unhygienic conditions and lack of basic facilities I experienced during my visit to Groote Schuur Hospital’s Emergency Unit today. I rushed directly from work to attend to my sister in the Emergency Unit and did not have the opportunity to use the restroom beforehand. Upon arriving at the hospital, I went to use the toilet and was shocked by the conditions. The toilet smelled extremely bad and had no toilet paper, no hand sanitizer, and no soap available. In addition, there were no toilet seats, which further added to the unhygienic and undignified conditions. I approached security at the checkpoint to report the issue and was advised to go to the security desk. The staff at the desk stated that they could not assist as they were security personnel. I then requested that they contact the necessary cleaning staff; however, their attitude felt dismissive and unhelpful, which was very disappointing given the circumstances. After several back-and-forth discussions, security staff checked the men’s toilets as well, only to find that they also had no toilet paper. Eventually, I was given paper towels and advised to use them and dispose of them in the sanitary bin. This is completely unacceptable and unhygienic, particularly in a hospital environment where infection control should be a top priority. What made the situation even more concerning was the absence of any visible cleaning staff in the area. The hygiene standards I encountered were extremely poor and far below what one would expect from a major hospital. Groote Schuur Hospital urgently needs to address these issues and ensure that proper hygiene measures and basic supplies are consistently in place. I trust this matter will be taken seriously and look forward to hearing what steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence.