| Home | Politics | Human Rights | Water | Economy | Education | Sci & Tech | Culture | Sport |
By Groum Abate - Capital
16 May, 2007
Empress Zewditu Hospital, which was built during the first years of Emperor Haile Silassie, has been shut down after serious leakage was found in the building.
The hospital, which was first built by Swedish missionaries in the compound of the present National Palace, moved out to its current location behind the palace after constructing better facilities.
Doctor Tizeta, medical director of Zewditu Hospital told Capital that the hospital suspended admitting patients as of Thursday May, 10, and would let go remaining patients in its ward after seven days of treatment.
She said that the emergency and maternity wards would resume their operations but other departments suspended their operation due to the leaks that occurred in some parts of the building.
Sources told Capital that there are plans to move the patients to Menilik and Yekatit 12 hospitals that are also administered by the Addis Ababa Health Bureau.
Both Menilik and Yekatit 12 are not functioning to their full capacity because of lack of general practitioners.
The plan to move the patients to the two hospitals has not been yet approved but if so the patients could move to the two hospitals by next week.
The medical director of Zewditu Hospital declined to explain further about the reason why the hospital is closed.
Currently there are five major hospitals administered by the city namely Empress Zewditu Memorial, Gandhi, Ras Desta Hospital, Menelik, and Yekatit 12 hospitals.