[ad_1]
The Life Healthcare group, which runs private hospitals across the country, says the second wave of Covid-19 has resulted in a greater number of patients admitted to its hospitals daily than the first wave.
According to Dr. Charl van Loggerenberg, general manager of emergency medicine at Life Healthcare: “The number of patients in the hospital in one day has exceeded the maximum number that we experienced during the first wave.”
“Hospitals in all our regions are experiencing significant pressure on the ICU and high capacity for care,” he adds.
Amid reports of the installation of a temporary patient screening area in the basement of a Life hospital, Van Loggerenberg says that all hospitals must balance available staff with the need to accommodate and treat patients who are admitted for various health-related conditions.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have erected and removed temporary holding areas and allocated dedicated ‘respiratory screening’ areas as the surge fluctuated and moved, as have many hospitals both public and private,” notes Van Loggerenberg.
He adds: “Although Life Healthcare is actively responding to increased demand, human resources and equipment are finite, and there are limitations on the number of patients that can be seen within our facilities.”
According to Van Loggerenberg, the additional areas of screening or patient retention are simply to safely handle the volume of patients arriving: “Ultimately, they would go through the emergency unit.”
“Many facilities have created similar additional temporary triage and screening areas, whether they be tents / temporary park house type structures / additional rooms, etc., as the need arises,” he says.
One of the factors that motivated President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of stricter regulations on the confinement shortly before the start of the new year was the pressure being exerted on the country’s health system.
SEE ALSO: ‘Next year will be difficult’ warns Ramaphosa in the New Year’s message
Van Loggerenberg notes: “Both the first and second waves have meant that our employees, support staff, allied medical professionals, nurses and doctors are under enormous stress and pressure, but remain focused on their tireless efforts in managing our hospitals and patient care for both Covid-related and non-Covid-related conditions “
He adds: “We sincerely urge the community to help all hospitals fight the virus without neglecting the use of masks, social distancing and proper hand hygiene. Comply with these security measures “.
For more news your way, download The Citizen app to ios and Android.
[ad_2]
