Bertha Gxowa Hospital now a dedicated Covid-19 care facility
The hospital will be a dedicated facility for Covid-19 positive cases
Bertha Gxowa Hospital (BGH) has been activated as a Covid-19 healthcare facility by the Gauteng Department of Health.
“The hospital will be a dedicated facility for Covid-19 patients to enable us to manage the second wave of the infections,” said Thabile Mnguni, BGH communications and public relations officer.
She said management and the clinical team developed a phased introduction of Covid-19 services; the first phase started on January 21.
The hospital services will have a number of changes and the first phase, starting with general care, surgery beds and mental health beds.
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“It also involved the accident and emergency unit that will no longer admit patients and also involves the Out-
Patient Department (OPD),” shared Mnguni.
The first phase of the plan is as follows:
• Medical, surgical and psychiatry wards will only admit confirmed Covid-19 positive cases.
• Non-Covid-19 person under investigation (PUI) patients will no longer be admitted to the hospital. If presented to the hospital, they will be stabilised and transferred to other hospitals in Ekurhuleni.
• Moderate, intermediate Covid-19 positive patients will be received from other hospitals and the admission guideline is being updated.
“Critical care patients who can be managed will be accepted at BGH.”
• EMS and hospital transport will transport current patients to alternative facilities.
• Psychiatry will be phased out slowly due to a shortage of mental health beds.
• Paediatrics, neonatology, obstetrics and gynaecology services will continue with Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 care until further notice.
• A roster of hospital staff will be compiled to accept transfers on a rotating basis.
• OPD and Lerato (TB clinic) patients will be referred to primary healthcare facilities.
• Patients discharged from the ward will be referred to the nearest community health centre.
• Pharmacy will support the decanting process with Centralised Chronic Medicines Dispensing and Distribution services and other initiatives to allow for access to medicine.
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Marietta Lombard (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, or (Journalists) Busi Vilakazi busiv@caxton.co.za , and Lebogang Sekgwama lebogangs@caxton.co.za.
