Provincial focus
Mpumalanga is ready for the expected COVID-19 peak
With a surge in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases recorded in provinces such as the Western Cape, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga is now also equipping itself to deal with a rise in cases.
While cases in Mpumalanga are far lower than in the country's hotspots, the Provincial Command Council has prepared for the inevitable surge, with a strategy that has been given the thumbsup by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.
The province has developed a ‘pillared strategy' to deal with a projected rise in COVID-19 infections. Speaking during the visit by President Ramaphosa and
Minister Mkhize to the province in July, Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tshipane said the three-tiered strategy will involve a Primary Intervention, Secondary Intervention and the Post-COVID-19 Aftermath Intervention.
“As the Mpumalanga province, we have developed a strategy that will focus on the control and management of the exponential increase in the rate of infections, which includes the establishment of 402 wardbased containment teams under the leadership of ward councillors, thus deploying a ‘wall-towall' strategy across all wards in the province,” she said.
The Primary Prevention pillar promotes health and behavioural changes in communities, while also focusing on communications with neighbouring countries Mozambique and eSwatini to promote integrated management.
“We have been in constant communication with our peers from the Kingdom of eSwatini, as well as Mozambique, in order to promote the integrated management of cross border COVID-19 cases by augmenting the existing memoranda of understanding we have with provinces in the respective countries.”
At the time of the President's visit, the province had conducted more than 4.5 million screenings of people in communities, and almost 50 000 tests in the public and private sectors. Approximately 35 percent of the province's identified cases stemmed from community screening, emphasising the importance of this mitigation strategy.
Secondary Intervention will deal with the peak of COVID-19 in the province, through a holistic set of interventions outlined by the Premier.
“The implementation of
this strategy will include management of cases according to severity and comorbidities status, increasing the number of quarantine facilities and isolation sites and fast-tracking the field hospital installation at the Mbombela Stadium. [It will include] expediting the procurement of intensive care unit equipment, such as beds and ventilators, across the three districts, and ensuring regular stock audit for the availability of the dexamethasone drug,” said the Premier.
Mpumalanga has a relatively low number of cases compared to more populated provinces and as a result the province's strategy aims to zoom in on potential hotspots quickly, all the way down to ward level.
Provincial Advisory Committee Member Dr Lesego Mawela said eMalahleni, Govan Mbeki, Steve Tshwete and the City of Mbombela municipalities are where the province's COVID-19 cases are located.
“We have, however, noted that appreciating these numbers at a municipal level will not help us much in terms of our response.
“We have now moved on to look at where these cases are from at a ward level, so that we do not go into a municipality and do a series of interventions broadly, but we will provide multiple, combined and targeted interventions in specific wards,” said Mawela.
Mpumalanga Health MEC Sasekani Manzini also stated that the province's busiest economic zones are a key area of focus, particularly areas where mines and other industrial hubs are located.
“Working with other sector departments and private sector, the department is monitoring mobility in the province's busiest economic zones, like Emalahleni, Govan Mbeki, Mbombela and Nkomazi. Many of these areas are home to mines and fuel plants, which could emerge as hotspots.”
The final pillar of the strategy involves dealing with an increase in mortality rates as a result of the virus.
The province has projected that at the peak, there could be as many as 48 deaths per day occurring in Mpumalanga.
“Preliminary projections estimate between 10 and 48 deaths per day.The province is prepared for mortalities, as it has 347 mortuaries and 33 crematoriums in the public and private sectors,” said Premier Mtshweni-Tshipani.
She added that the goal of the Post-COVID-19 Aftermath pillar will involve the dignified disposal of bodies along with economic recovery.
During his visit, President Ramaphosa approved of Mpumalanga's response plan and state of readiness.
“I'm particularly pleased that your response strategy has identified key priority areas, including managing the health crisis itself.
“It is pleasing to know that in your priority areas, you have decided to protect vulnerable people in our communities,” said the President.
He applauded the province's targeted efforts to drive behavioural change.
“Your response strategy also focuses on behavioural change. One of the best weapons we have against coronavirus is to change our behaviour, having accepted that we have to live with this virus.”
President Ramaphosa cautioned that although infections in the province were still low, hospitals need to be prepared for a possible surge.
“Your province is still much better placed than other provinces, such as the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Lockdown was a heavy-duty weapon that we used but it served its purpose in as far as slowing down the rate of infection. But we always knew and we had been advised that we will see rising infections that we are seeing now in parts of the country,” he added.