Covid-19: Quarantine wards set up at Tshwane hospital

Two wards at the Tshwane District Hospital in Pretoria have been set up to handle Covid-19 patients as part of the roll out of facilities to treat those infected with the virus, the Gauteng infrastructure development department said.

MEC Tasneem Motara has so far “ “inspected eight construction sites for special Covid-19 quarantine wards in  health facilities across the province in anticipation of the expected severe Covid-19 cases that might require hospitalisation and self-quarantine”, the department said.

The province intends to provide about 3,056 beds within its portfolio facilities, and 1,126 from external facilities.

“We are preparing for the worst-case scenario and we are leaving nothing to chance. We are mindful of the potential effect of the increased demand for health facilities, and we are working tirelessly to be ready for any eventuality,” said Motara.

At other facilities:

• 13 wards are being converted into intensive care units and isolation wards at the George Mukhari Hospital in Garankuwa;
• A ward at the Discoveries Community Health Centre in Florida has been converted;
• A 12-bed temporary quarantine facility has been newly built at Mamelodi Hospital in Tshwane.

Additional facilities have been constructed at the 500-bed Nasrec centre in Johannesburg and at the 175-bed mothballed AngoGold Ashanti Hospital in Carletonville.

 “Some of the projects will be ready for hand over by the middle of May 2020, while the rest will be accelerated in line with the required health infrastructure standards,” said acting head of the department, Richard Makhumisani.