Western Cape Health services stagger under multitude of violent injuries

From 15 December 2018 to 15 January 2019, more than 30 000 emergency cases were taken to hospitals by medical services in the Western Cape. Of these cases, 23% (8 069) were patients who had sustained injuries ranging from violent trauma, such as stabbings and gunshots, to physical and interpersonal violence and accidental injury. This is according to a statement released this week by Western Cape health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo after she briefed the media on the impact of violence, trauma and alcohol on the health system.

Top three causes

Assault with a weapon (not limited to a knife or gun): 2 894 cases;

Physical assault: 956 cases;

Accidental injury: 864 cases (presumed unintentional).

In addition to the emergency cases treated at the emergency centres, EMS facilitated more than 14 000 inter-facility transfers. Of these, 1 481 (10%) relate to all forms of injuries, whereas a staggering 1 131 cases were as a direct result of violence. Amongst them were 101 gunshot injuries.

According to the statement, the sharp increase in injury-related cases negatively impacts on the services available within the health system. This is because violence is a major contributor to the pressures experienced, especially within emergency centres, and causes delays in the treatment of many elective procedures.

Estimate cost for treating gunshot victims

The estimated cost for admitting and treating a patient with a gunshot injury is approximately R22 000 per patient and should the patient also require orthopaedic surgery, it is a further R25 000. These costs exclude the transport cost, treatment received in an emergency centre, as well as either rehabilitation costs or forensic pathology.