Covid moves closer to home
As South Africa approaches the peak of the virus, hospitals in the province are preparing to care for the sick.
MBOMBELA - Eleven healthcare workers at Rob Ferreira Hospital have tested positive for the Covid-19 virus this week.
In the same week, the Mpumalanga Department of Health confirmed that the number of Covid-19 cases in the province has
increased to 11 363, and private hospitals confirmed that the availability of beds dedicated to these patients is under significant pressure.
According to data released by the Mpumalanga Department of Health,
5 494 recoveries have been recorded to date. There have been 65 deaths in the province.
Dumisane Malamule, spokesperson for the department, confirmed the cases. “Yes, 11 nurses are under quarantine,” he said.
Nurses who called Lowvelder on condition of anonymity said they feared for their lives as many of their colleagues had tested positive. They alleged that those who were infected were quarantined at Kiaat and Mediclinic Nelspruit private hospitals.
Kiaat Hospital declined to comment.
“The Department of Health does not take our complaints seriously. It does not even fumigate the hospital and the environment we work in is not safe at all,” said one of the nurses.
Malamule denied allegations that the department was not fumigating hospitals that had positive cases. “Fumigation is done daily and the department is implementing Covid-19 measures,”
Malamule said.
It has recently come under immense scrutiny over the lack of better working conditions. Staff at a number of hospitals, such as
Themba Hospital, recently staged a protest, demanding that the department turns such conditions around.
Addressing the state of readiness in the province, Malamule said there is no shortage of beds and the province is prepared for the peak.
“For Ehlanzeni District (which includes Mbombela) we have 1 491 beds for Covid-19 patients. They are admitted throughout the district where there are available beds, and are not confined to municipal boundaries. This is to maximise resources.
Rob Ferreira Hospital accommodates patients from all over the province.
“It should be noted that the department is continuing to decant wards to further increase bed capacity. We can report that Rob Ferreira is already beginning to admit patients that could not be admitted to local private hospitals as their
Covid-19 wards are full.
At the moment, we have
113 coronavirus patients at in our public hospitals. We have no shortage of beds and the province is prepared for the peak,” he said.
However, the availability of beds dedicated to such patients in private hospitals in Mbombela is under significant pressure.
Candice Peterson, marketing manager of Kiaat Hospital, confirmed this.
“Doctors and hospital management are monitoring the situation and doing their best to ensure residents are provided with the best possible care during these times.
“Upon presentation at our emergency care unit, the hospital assesses patients to determine whether their needs can be catered for by the hospital, or if it’s in their best interest to transfer to other facilities,” she said.
Mediclinic Nelspruit is not fully occupied at present and remains capable of treating patients requiring care for Covid-19 and
conditions unrelated to the pandemic. To date, the hospital has transferred only one patient to another local facility.
But, said Dr Stefan Smuts, chief clinical officer of Mediclinic Southern Africa, Covid-19 has placed an increased demand on critical care resources, in particular.
“Hospital bed capacity remains fluid and is liable to change. This situation is continuously monitored across all bed types and across all our hospitals, to ensure the optimal use of available resources and continuity of quality patient care.
“Where hospitals are experiencing a high volume of patients, we will introduce a diversion policy to reduce ambulance transport time, and direct the emergency vehicle to the nearest available hospital. Hospital management will make the decision to divert only after evaluating the case and if it is decided that current alternative measures cannot resolve the reason for diversion,” he said.