Mbombela, Polokwane are hotspots but hospital admissions drop in rest of SA: Mediclinic

Covid-related hospital admissions have declined by about 50% at its facilities since the second wave peak in the middle of January, says Mediclinic.

There has also been a 30% reduction in the number of patients admitted in ICU since the second peak.

“We are still experiencing pressure on ICU and high care beds and ventilators, especially in the Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal regions.”

Regionally, certain hotspots remain, specifically around Mbombela and Polokwane, said the hospital group.

To vaccinate its health-care workers, Mediclinic has submitted its figures to the government to request sufficient vaccines from the national health department and has trained up 175 vaccinators between the group and its subsidiaries, as well as its occupational health service provider.

It has also applied for its facilities to be registered as vaccination centres.

Many of its hospitals have started to relax their visiting hours to allow families to visit their loved ones during the day or after working hours where possible. This is currently limited to non-Covid patients, but compassionate access to Covid-19 patients is being managed on an individual basis.

Where possible, hospitals are implementing electronic video visits or “window visits” where access to Covid-19 wards is possible.

It is also offering people access to its hospital Wi-Fi facilities to video-call their family members.

“Where patients are unable to do so independently, we have devices available and staff are able to help facilitate virtual visitation with family members where possible.

“For patients who are unable to interact in this manner, we have appointed individuals within the hospital who are able to provide feedback and interact with family on a daily basis to ensure the family remains updated.

“Where patients are in a more critical condition, designated next-of-kin are provided with additional, more in depth feedback directly from doctors and unit managers as the patient’s condition changes.”

The hospital group said it is continuing to experience pressure in specific hospitals where the volume of patients remains significant.

“In places, this is still a higher volume than experienced in the first wave. This would refer in particular to hospitals supporting a very broad region around the hospital.”

However, many of the remaining hospitals have returned to more normal levels of activity.

Elective surgery has been restarted in a controlled manner in many hospitals, the group added.

Emergency and urgent surgery also continues in all hospitals, as has been the case throughout the pandemic.

TimesLIVE