On-duty doctors suffer food poisoning after using hospital café in Malaga
The Hospital Clínico teaching hospital confirms that "some cases of mild intestinal symptoms have been detected among staff" who worked last Sunday
Eleven doctors who were on duty last Sunday at the Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria suffered an episode of gastrointestinal poisoning after eating in the hospital cafeteria, according to the complaint filed by their SMM union (the medical union for Malaga).
Several of them, claims the union, were admitted under observation "due to the severity of their symptoms, in yet another case of this kind", which they attribute to "negligence on the part of the hospital management". "The cafeteria has become a real health risk and those in charge have allowed this situation to reach unacceptable levels," stated the SMM.
"Poor quality"
"In addition to the poor quality, the evident deterioration of the service and the questionable conditions regarding hygiene, there is the fact that these professionals are forced to share the space with patients and anyone accompanying them, no dining area of their own, no privacy, no security and zero respect for their working conditions", the union stated. The SMM further pointed out that the situation is "undignified and represents a complete disregard for those who maintain healthcare activity in the hospital".
Demands for more accountability and an urgent health inspection of the hospital cafeteria
The SMM reminds us that there was a similar incident a year ago and "no effective measures were taken to prevent it from happening again". Therefore, the union calls for an urgent, thorough and independent investigation, "with clear and public conclusions", as well as bringing some accountability to the doors of those responsible on all levels. Other demands include a health inspection of the cafeteria, decisive, "not cosmetic measures, with deadlines for implementing improvements" and the provision of a canteen exclusively for staff.
"The situation has exceeded all tolerable limits," said the SMM, adding that, if no immediate measures are taken, they will call for protests and demonstrations to protect staff. Furthermore, the union is demanding the resignation of the hospital management in charge of general services and admin as "directly responsible for this unsustainable situation".
The hospital's response
The hospital, for its part, has confirmed that "some cases with mild intestinal symptoms were detected among staff on the day in question".
The hospital's preventive medicine service, "as is customary in these cases, has passed this information on to the public health authorities so that they can proceed to carry out the standard inspection to determine the causes".
