Covid-19: Department of Health is monitoring private hospitals

The Department of Health is monitoring private hospitals after it received complaints from staff regarding insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), and non-compliance with guidelines for infection control and prevention.

Among the hospitals mentioned by Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, in this afternoon’s (10 April) public address, are Hibiscus Private Hospital, Parklands Hospital and Shifa Private Hospital, which the Health Department will be keeping a close eye on.

Last week, Dr Mkhize received a letter through KZN Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, raising concerns about La Verna Private Hospital in Ladysmith. “I asked for a team to look at the hospital and investigate, and that has been done,” said Dr Mkhize, but did not offer any further details.

“It is important that the private hospitals adhere to the standard operating procedures and also follow the clinical guidelines that are given by the NICD (National Institute of Communicable Diseases). Everyone is obliged to follow those protocols, particularly as it is related to infection control, and the prevention of the spread of Covid-19,” he added, warning that the government does not need to be granted authority by private institutions to step in and investigate.

Ms Simelane-Zulu expressed concern that health care workers who work for the government may also be moonlighting at private healthcare facilities. “They run the risk of transmitting the disease from the private facilities to our facilities,” she said, explaining that allegations were being investigated that a health care worker who tested positive at Chief Albert Luthuli Hospital, was also working at St Augustine’s Hospital.

The main concern for the Department of Health, this week, was to determine if there was an instance of non-compliance at St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban, where a number of Covid-19 related deaths occurred, according to Dr Mkhize.

He called on the Provincial Department of Health to institute an investigation in terms of why, and how, so many people ended up infected in one place.

“It is more serious to us because the first people we need to make sure are safe and protected are the professionals, the health workers, because they deal on a day to day basis with infection. Their training means they should know how to deal with infections without acquiring infection. We want that investigation, so we can find out exactly what happened. The leadership of Netcare has been advised that this will be happening and the process will be on-going,” stated Dr Mkhize.

The Health Department will be keeping count of all health care workers who test positive for the virus across the country, “to ensure there isn’t an explosion of health care workers who are positive.”

St Augustine’s hospital was closed after 66 people, including 48 staff members, tested positive for Covid-19. The hospital may not accept any new out-patients, all sections of the hospital have ceased operations and wards were closed. Some of the patients who were already admitted to St Augustine’s when it closed, were moved to other hospitals, but 58 remain at St Augustine’s as persons under investigation for Covid-19.

“We needed to exclude the existence of Covid-19 among them and the hospital must take care of that procedure,” explained Dr Mkhize.

Urging the private health sector to work with the public health sector as, “one team,” in the fight against Covid-19, Dr Mkhize said that government is calling on private health care facilities to make beds available to covid-19 patients in the public health care system, should the need arise.

“In Spain, one day everyone woke up and the government had nationalised all private hospitals, and said, ‘Until further notice, these are all under our care.’ There is a responsibility that the government has, over the management of all resources,” stated Dr Mkhize.

The Health Department is also identifying and equipping centres outside of hospitals to handle a possible surge in the number of cases. Ms Simelane-Zulu announced that these facilities will be ready for use by the end of April.

Addressing questions about the shortage of PPE, Dr Mkhize said there is stock coming in over the next few days, which will ensure medical staff has adequate protection for the next six to eight weeks.

“No member of staff will be expected to go and work in a risky, infectious area without adequate protection gear,” he promised.

He used the opportunity to recommend the widespread use of face masks by members of the public, saying it will be one of the most useful ways to continue to avoid the spread of the virus when the lockdown is lifted. “I encourage individuals to make their own masks. Small businesses can make masks and sell them. You can even fold your handkerchief into three layers and use that to cover your face,” he advised.

“We are still traversing through a storm that is gathering,” warned Dr Mkhize. “The storm is not over. It is delaying a bit, but it has not dissipated. We can’t be complacent.”

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