Article by: Dumisane Dube
Gauteng is experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases as well as hospital admissions.
According to research scientists the number of people hospitalised due to COVID-19 in the country is likely to increase as more provinces enter the third wave – putting a strain on bed capacity.
The Bheki Mlangeni District hospital in one of the hospital experiencing challenges in Gauteng.
The hospital’s CEO Makabedi Makhetha says they have seen a spike in the admission of COVID-19 patients.
The hospital has got 67 beds dedicated strictly for COVID-19.
“Bheki Mlangeni being not so big, we are engaging with Bara [Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital] to say can we send our less acute patients so that we can take care of the acute patients. We are having something we call the PUI [Patient Under Investigation] wards where we keep the patients who are under investigation – then once they test positive then we transfer them to the COVID-19 wards.” Said Maketha
Senior Researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr Ridhwaan Suliman says the number of new hospital admissions is on the rise, not only in Gauteng but across the country.
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