Will the country’s healthcare system be able to accommodate all Covid-19 infected patients and be able to offer quality medical care as infections rise daily?
It is against this backdrop that the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize recently agreed in principle with private hospitals to accommodate patients who may need hospitalisation for Covid-19 even if they can’t afford private medical care.
With the daily escalation in Covid-19 positive patients, citizens who show a disregard for lockdown regulations and social distancing measures, the availability of sufficient quarantine and isolation facilities should public hospitals and military hospitals not be able to accommodate patients, has become cause for concern.
But, says Mkhize, private healthcare patients can rest assured that big private healthcare groups have the necessary measures in place to care for Covid-19 positive patients.
Mediclinic will be able to assist and treat patients, and has already implemented the necessary measures to manage patients who display symptoms. There are also measures in place to prevent the potential transmission of the virus at its facilities and Mediclinic has enhanced processes in place to deal with the anticipated increase, based on the developing international and local situation. Protocols regarding identification, testing and reporting are followed as required and supported by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).
CEO of the Netcare Group, Dr Richard Friedland assured the South African public that they are in safe hands at a Netcare Group facility during the outbreak of the virus. Netcare, with 54 hospitals and over 10 000 registered hospital beds, expressed its commitment to offer support to the department and NICD as requested. Dr Anchen Laubscher, Netcare’s Group Medical Director also said Netcare is ready to assist the national and provincial departments of health wherever it is needed.
*Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news.
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