Life Parkland Hospital Springs confirms no Covid-19 death at their institution
On Tuesday, health minister Zweli Mkhize stated that a man had died at a Parkland Hospital in KZN.
When minister Zweli Mkhize was quoted referring to the death of a Covid-19 patient at a Parkland Hospital, locals were worried that he may have been referring to Parkland Hospital in Springs.
The Addie looked into the matter and confirmed that the reference did not relate to the Springs hospital at all.
The Life Parkland Hospital, in Springs, responded to readers’ online queries following the circulation of the minister’s direct quote.
Dr Charl van Loggerenberg, general manager for emergency medicine at Life Healthcare, says: “Life Healthcare’s responsibility as one of the largest hospital group’s in the country is to help curb the Covid-19 pandemic by admitting and caring for patients infected with the virus in a safe manner.”
The group has admitted some positive Covid-19 cases have been treated across their network of facilities, and Life Springs Parkland Hospital is one of the facilities to have admitted and cared for patients.
Also read: Limited number of visitors allowed at Life Springs Parkland Hospital
We want to reassure our local community that Life Springs Parkland Hospital, as with all Life Healthcare hospitals, follows stringent clinical protocols in the best interest of those we care for and those working in or visiting the hospital.”
He explained that any individual who tests positive for the virus and meets the clinical criteria for hospital admission is admitted to a separate isolation area within the hospital where they are cared for by health-care professionals who follow protocols outlined by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the World Health Organisation.
“We also take great care to comply with legislation to protect individuals and their personal information and comply with the government’s Covid-19 regulations,” he says.
This, van Loggerenberg indicates, means the hospital is not in a position to disclose the details of any suspected or positive Covid-19 cases.
“The government requires that we account for the cases and provide them with statistics, through the NICD, who in turn communicate directly to the public,” he adds.
Van Loggerenberg elaborates on Life Healthcare’s number of beds and ventilators, saying: “Life Healthcare has a total of 1 050 ICU beds nationally.
“Not all ICU beds are equipped with ventilators as up until this point it was not necessary.
“Life Springs Parkland has enough ventilators at this point,” he says.
“We are not aware of any NICD or government regulations that prioritise ventilation of Covid-19 patients by age,” he indicates.
Also read: Netcare N17 and Life Springs Parkland hospitals prepared for Covid-19
Van Loggerenberg adds that the shortage of equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) continues to be a challenge globally and nationally.
However, he mentions that a Life Healthcare capacity forum has been formed to deal with capacity considerations, including equipment.
“Our national Covid-19 task team is continuously assessing the situation and making sure that all our facilities, including Life Springs Parkland Hospital, and employees across the country have all the required resources to treat patients who are affected by the virus and those who are not.”
“We can confirm that additional equipment has been secured as part of our procurement processes during this time.
“We are also working closely with other hospital groups to determine secure supply chains as a collective.”
On behalf of the entity, he pleads with the local community to comply with the government’s lockdown requirements:
• Stay at home and only go out for essential supplies or medical attention.
• Keep your social distance of 2m away from other people when getting essential supplies or visiting the hospital.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Keep surfaces in your home and work area clean and disinfected.
• Cover your cough and sneeze into a tissue or flexed elbow.
• If your job requires you to continue working in an external environment with other people, stay away from work if you are feeling unwell.
Also read: Netcare N17 and Life Springs Parkland hospitals prepared for Covid-19
Van Loggerenberg confirmed that Life Springs Parkland remains open and operational during this time, with very restricted visiting hours.
“We have a screening process for employees and visitors coming into the hospital daily.
“This is to ascertain whether individuals may be at risk of having the virus or display symptoms and may require Covid-19 testing,” he says.
“We urge members of the public who are not sick, but are concerned that they may need Covid-19 testing, to please phone or consult with their general practitioner or contact the NICD on the following support numbers: WhatsApp support line – 0600 123 456 or the 24-hour hotline – 0800 029 999/0800 111 132.
Covid-19 testing can only be done with a referral by a doctor.
In the event of severe illness or a medical emergency, get to the nearest hospital emergency unit quickly, and if possible call ahead to advise of your arrival.
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