‘Enough beds’ in Tshwane to cope with swell in Covid-19 cases – govt
Last week Friday, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize inspected the readiness of a tent site near the Tshwane district hospital and Steve Biko academic hospital.
The Department of Health has been hard at work addressing the shortages of staff, infrastructure and roll-out of beds to increase capacity for the expected surge of Covid-19 cases in Tshwane.
Field hospitals and Covid-19-designated wards were set up in the CBD and north of Pretoria to lessen the impact of expected increases in admissions. Last week Friday, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize inspected the readiness of a tent site near the Tshwane district hospital and Steve Biko academic hospital.
On Tuesday, he welcomed new nurses at Dr George Mukhari hospital in the north of Pretoria.
He expressed satisfaction with the hospitals’ readiness to tackle Covid-19, adding the government has been attending to the concern of the shortage of beds.
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Blockages occurred when patients were waiting for their status; however, the quarantine sites and beds were available for use, Mkhize said.
“We would like to encourage all volunteers. We do need their services and we are grateful. If there are PPE shortages, staff members are encouraged to come forward so it can be addressed adequately.”
On the development of a vaccine to fight the virus, Mkhize said: “There are trials going on across the world and we are watching all the research. However, our priority now is increasing bed capacity and managing the distribution of beds.”
Mkhize said he would also be distributing gear from the solidarity fund to all the provinces.
“We will work with the unions to oversee the distribution and quality of our stock.”
He said the demand for tests was always increasing.
“We have conducted two million tests. We have improved the backlog significantly and should not underplay the hard work done by laboratory staff.”
Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku said the province had enough hospital beds to meet demands for the foreseeable future. Some of the newly-refurbished wards at Dr George Mukhari academic hospital were finally opened. Patients under investigation and confirmed Covid-19 cases were moved into the wards, following major refurbishments. Available wards were the burns unit (15 beds), ward 1 (26 beds), ward 2 (15 beds), ward 5 (26 beds) and ward 6 (28 beds).
“Together with our private sector partners and national government, work is underway to increase bed capacity in public facilities, including construction of field hospitals.”
Masuku said the Gauteng health department was working with the private sector to acquire the required medical equipment for health facilities to cope with the increasing numbers.
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He said 440 health professionals were appointed and they were expecting an additional 400 nurses and doctors to be appointed within the next week.
“We are doing everything possible to save lives. Our health response, strengthened by improved infrastructure, procurement of medical equipment and additional personnel, has placed us in a position where we are now steadily weathering the storm,” said Masuku.
He said the Gauteng health department also set up a personal protective equipment Whatsapp line to enable healthcare workers or public to report any shortages at health facilities.
“Concerned individuals can send a WhatsApp message to 066-494-6192.”
He said national and provincial offices were also going into areas to attend to issues such as shortages of staff, infrastructure and rollout of beds.
Meanwhile, the Tshwane events centre was identified as a Covid-19 field hospital site to help deal with an expected surge in cases. Mkhize said directives had been given for it to be turned into a field hospital within the next two to three weeks.
It was expected to house 1 000 beds. Several other field hospitals were expected to be completed soon at various sites in the country as the health department worked hard to ensure patients could remain hospitalised while awaiting Covid-19 test results.
Tshwane district and Steve Biko Academic hospitals CEO Mathabo Mathebula said more than 600 patients had already admitted.
“Most of our patients are doing well,” she said, acknowledging that around 33 had succumbed to the virus.
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