[ad_1]
The images of ambulances stopped in front of different hospitals, including the Torres Vedras Hospital, have been a portrait of the current state of the Covid-19 pandemic in Portugal. Although this episode touched many users, with different actions to appeal to compliance with the general closure, a publication appeared on Facebook that criticized the management of the Centro Hospitalar do Oeste (CHO).
Image of viral publication that affirms that ambulance lines in hospitals are “media theater”.
In this publication, the author shares a montage of three photographs with contrasted situations: on the one hand, the Torres Vedras Hospital, with entrances full of ambulances; and, on the other hand, the Peniche Hospital and the Caldas da Rainha Hospital, with apparently normal or practically empty flows. “Another media theater. There was a concentrated flow in the Torres Vedras hospital, and the hospitals around it were flies. There is no reason for this media coverage, it is a case of mismanagement, ”he wrote on January 16 of this year. It reached 232 shares and 435 likes. However, it is a bogus post.
The first idea that must be denied is that the Peniche hospital “does not have dedicated care for respiratory patients,” as guaranteed by the CHO Communication Office to the Observer. That is, looking at the image of this health unit that appears in the publication, a comparison with the Torres Vedras hospital cannot be made, because it does not have the same service to care for patients infected by the new coronavirus.
On the contrary, both Torres Vedras and Caldas da Rainha have areas dedicated to respiratory patients and now face greater pressure, as guaranteed by the CHO office, on January 18. At this time, the Torres Vedras hospital is the one with the highest number of infected: the internal outbreak that occurred in this health unit adds to the positive cases for Covid-19 confirmed in several homes in the region. In total, 101 patients with Covid-19 are admitted to the CHO ward, 35 to the Caldas da Rainha unit and 66 to the Torres Vedras unit. The latter therefore has a greater number of patients, that is, their flow is greater. However, there are none in Peniche.
“The capacity is not exhausted yet, however, it is close to the capacity limit,” explained that office. The bed occupancy rate is now over 50%, compared to non-Covid-19 beds. The situation is identical with respect to hospitalizations not related to Covid-19. In other words, although images of the ambulance lines in one of the hospitals have not been shared, it does not mean that the situation is less alarming. Therefore, the “media theater” to which the author refers is, after all, a very real scenario, although for now there is sufficient capacity to face the new coronavirus without the CHO breaking down.
CHO also clarifies that last week 21 beds of surgical rooms were converted to treat patients with Covid-19 in Torres Vedras. In Caldas da Rainha, there was a new reorganization to “reinforce the capacity of the respective area dedicated to the care of respiratory patients in the General Emergency service”. It was also ensured that a modular building is being built to increase the capacity of that hospital to face the pandemic.
As for Peniche, although it is not a reality now, the possibility of opening a non-Covid-19 infirmary in that hospital is being studied.
Regarding the criticisms of the mismanagement of these hospital units by the author of the original publication, they are not verifiable within the scope of this article.
Despite the shocking images of ambulance lines in front of some hospitals in Portugal, there were those who criticized the alleged media coverage of this episode. In one of these criticisms it is said that, despite the fact that the Torres Vedras hospital is full, other units – such as Peniche and Caldas da Rainha – “are underway.” The truth is that the first does not have Covid-19 service and the second has also received several hospitalizations, thus having an area where the new coronavirus is treated. The Centro Hospitalar do Oeste, which houses these three hospitals, also assured that, although there is room for maneuver and measures are already being taken to allow the expansion of these services, due to the state of the pandemic, the situation is alarming. It is not at the breaking point yet, but it is beginning to reach its limit.
According to the Observer classification, this content is:
INCORRECT
In Facebook’s ranking system, this content is:
FALSE: The main content claims are inaccurate. Generally, this option corresponds to the “false” or “mostly false” ratings on fact-checker websites.
Note: This content was selected by the viewer as part of a fact-checking partnership with Facebook.
[ad_2]
