Mediclinic Nelspruit under pressure of demand for care in third wave

A statement by Mediclinic Southern Africa’s chief clinical officer, Dr Gerrit de Villiers, said the demand at Mediclinic Nelspruit and other hospitals across the country is expected to increase in the coming weeks.

De Villiers added that provinces such as Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are being most affected.

“The current third wave is exceeding previous admissions to our facilities, which most likely can be attributed to the impact of the Delta variant,”’ said De Villiers.

He said it is important to note that while ICU and high care capacity may vary from hospital to hospital, not all Covid-19 patients require ICU care or mechanical ventilation.

“Patients arriving at Mediclinic Nelspruit’s emergency centre follow the triage process, whereby clinical priority is determined,” said De Villiers.

“Urgent cases will be stabilised and admitted, or transferred to another suitable facility to ensure they receive the appropriate care. Mediclinic hospitals are in constant contact with other hospitals to understand demand for care at each facility and best manage the flow of patients.”

He said Mediclinic Nelspruit has temporarily suspended elective (or non-emergency) surgery due to the current surge; however, all emergency surgeries are continuing, as Mediclinic is still receiving non-Covid related cases.

“Mediclinic continues to monitor the situation and is taking all the necessary precautions to provide all patients with the best care possible,” said De Villiers.

He said revised visiting hours have been implemented within Mediclinic Nelspruit. Family members can contact the hospital for more information on what options are available. Visitation to neonatal intensive care units, obstetrics and paediatric units remain in place.

“We would like to thank our community for their understanding in this matter,” said De Villiers.