Several staffers down with Covid at EC Life hospitals
Group says it is following NICD and WHO guidelines on screening testing isolation and hygiene
All Life hospitals have a Covid-19 doctor committee in place
The Life Healthcare Group has confirmed there are “a number” of staffers at its Eastern Cape hospitals who have tested positive for Covid-19.
However, the group has not answered specific questions on these positive cases.
Life responded to Dispatch queries late on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier this week, the Dispatch reported that hospital and clinic workers in both the public and private sectors were downing tools over fears they might contract the coronavirus from patients who had tested positive.
This puts a strain on the provincial health system, which is scrambling to meet requirements ahead of an anticipated spike in Covid-19 cases.
Dr Charl van Loggerenberg, GM of emergency medicine at Life Healthcare, told the Dispatch that health worker infections were not unique to the Border-Kei region, but occurred in “all areas within SA as reported by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and department of health”.
“The asymptomatic nature of the virus prevents us from stopping the spread,” he added.
“However, our tight protocols on screening, testing, isolation and hygiene assists us in identifying cases early and preventing the spread of infections.” Van Loggerenberg said Life’s healthcare workers’ “exposure protocol” was in place and remained aligned to NICD guidelines, which dictated that any employee exposed to a known Covid-positive person would be tested and quarantined.
“When staff are symptomatic, immediate testing is conducted and they are not permitted to return to work without a negative Covid-19 test result.”
Life hospitals had dedicated infection prevention specialists whose training was based on NICD and World Health Organisation guidelines, he said.
These included prescreening of all employees, healthcare workers and visitors to the hospitals.
“Additionally we follow personal protective equipment protocols aligned to NICD guidelines which include the training of staff in correct donning and doffing of the equipment.
“All our hospitals have a Covid-19 doctor committee in place which collaborates with hospital management in making the necessary infection control and clinical decisions for the safety of our patients, whether Covid-19 cases or those admitted for conditions unrelated to Covid-19.”
He did not answer questions on how many Eastern Cape staff members had tested positive, which of the group’s hospitals in the province were worst affected, or whether it was true East London Private Hospital’s east wing was closed last week because a patient tested positive. —