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TYGERBERG HOSPITAL: BUCKLING UNDER THE BURDEN
Covid regulations flouted DESIRÉE RORKE @dezzierorke
A
s the second wave of Covid-19 crushes over Cape Town, the trauma unit at Tygerberg Hospital seems to be buckling under the burden. A reliable and authoritative source divulged to TygerBurger that the trauma unit was flooded with patients last weekend, while Covid-19 health regulations were flouted. The identity of the source, known to
TygerBurger, is being protected. “There was simply not enough space for all the patients. Patients, lying in trollies and others propped up in chairs very close to each other, were lining up in the waiting area. “Little to no Covid-19 screenings were done and patients that should have been in the patient unit investigation area for Covid19 were not. All systems failed, and patients could not even be properly triaged,” the source said.
Triage systems are methods that systematically prioritise patients’ treatment according to how urgent they need care. It thus influences the order and priority of emergency treatment. According to the source, panicked trauma staff were told by hospital management that there was not much they could do to salvage the situation. “With cases increasing this situation is untenable and has to be salvaged to protect patients, healthcare workers and stop the spread of the virus,” the source said.
According to the source, trauma unit staff were desperate and didn’t know who to turn to. TygerBurger approached the provincial health department, the hospital and the minister of health, Nomafrench Mbombo, with an urgent media inquiry on Friday. Questions posed centre around how fast and how effectively the situation at the trauma unit can be turned around. At the time of going to print the department had not responded to these questions.