Plans under way to restore water supply at Durban's Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital

The Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal says plans are afoot to ensure there is running water and Durban's Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital.

The department said it is working with neighbouring hospitals to help reduce the numbers of patients coming to the hospital.

The department noted that the 1,200 bed hospital was hit by a water outage on Sunday, along with several other areas in Umlazi, south of Durban.

"eThekwini Municipality is responsible for providing water in the hospital and surrounding areas and measures have been taken by the hospital to mitigate the impact of this challenge," the department said.

It added that there are contingency plans in place to ensure that patients' welfare and hygiene is prioritised.

"The hospital is also buying bottled water, while also receiving more water supplies from various NGOs that have come on board to assist, which we are extremely grateful for," said department spokesperson, Ntokozo Maphisa.

"We understand the inconvenience and challenges this situation poses to patients, staff, and the broader community, and we remain committed to ensuring that all necessary measures are taken to safeguard people's health and well-being during this period, while authorities continue working to return the situation to normal," he added.

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