Limpopo’s private hospitals feeling the strain of Covid-19 (video)
'The beds are full there. They can no longer admit patients,' says MEC Ramathuba.
Picture: Netcare 911
Private hospitals are feeling the heat as the number of coronavirus cases surge in the Limpopo province.
A video of ambulances queueing at the Netcare Pholoso hospital has emerged but it is unclear what the ambulances were queueing for.
On Thursday, health MEC in the province, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, intervened and visited the facility to monitor and seek a way forward.
“It is not a secret that the private sector is experiencing strain currently,” she said.
ALSO READ: Limpopo MEC slams accusations of a bed shortage in the province
“The beds are full there, they can no longer admit patients. We are here to help them with extra beds and to transfer other patients to our facilities,” Ramathuba said of the facility.
“This is because of the majority of people who are sick in the province fall in the middle class. These are the people who can afford medical aid, and people with medical aid don’t want to attend public hospitals and as a result, private hospitals in the province are experiencing a strain,” said Ramathuba.
She denied allegations of strains in public sector healthcare facilities, saying they had planned for this time as far back as May last year.
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