Health workers in Port Elizabeth say the city's hospitals are swamped -- the pandemic has overwhelmed facilities that were already under-equipped and under-resourced.
A crew of a private ambulance service in Port Elizabeth wear personal protective equipment , on July 11, 2020 ahead of checking on a patient affected by Covid-19 coronavirus at her home.
“A minimum of 70 percent of our work in the past two weeks has been Covid-related,” said Dave Gardner, head of Gardmed, the largest ambulance company in Eastern Cape province.Each day, they find it more difficult to dispatch suspected coronavirus patients to hospitals crippled by staff shortages and lack of beds.“The longest we have waited is four hours,” he complained.
“They are understaffed,” he added. “So they would rather keep the patient with us. At least in our ambulances they are getting care.” “Usually by the time you get there you can at least assist with ventilation,” she sighed. “But now, no, you get there and the person has already passed.” Provincial Premier Oscar Mabuyane has vowed to build a 500-bed field hospital in every district and municipal area.Nomonde Monica Baatjies who spent 2 weeks in a ICU due to symptoms related to Covid-19 coronavirus rests in her bed, at home, in Port Elizabeth, on July 9, 2020 during her convalescence.
Government authorities have consistently denied media access to coronavirus wards, citing patient confidentiality and safety reasons.
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