Thirteen infectious tuberculosis (TB) patients who forced their way out of Pretoria West Hospital, wanting to be treated as outpatients, have been ordered back to their beds.
This follows an interim high court order as a result of the Gauteng health department having lodged an interdict against them.
Department spokesperson Vusi Sibiya said the ”highly infected” multidrug-resistant TB patients would be forced to stay at Sizwe Hospital until their treatment was concluded.
”Most of them will be there less than six months or so … There is security to ensure they do not abscond.” he said.
The 13 patients forced their way out of Pretoria West Hospital on Monday night.
They then arrived at the Sizwe tropical-disease hospital in Edenvale, east of Johannesburg, where they had previously received treatment, insisting that they be treated as outpatients.
”In the interest of public health they are still highly infectious. Their condition is due to interrupted initial treatment of tuberculosis.”
Sibiya said the patients left the hospital in a minibus taxi, which had been waiting for them.
”Their access to transport is still being investigated,” he said. — Sapa