Govt in talks with private hospitals to help COVID-19 patients not on med aid
As more COVID-19 cases were reported in South Africa, concerns are mounting that the public health system will not cope.
Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize said that the government had an agreement in principle with private hospitals to accommodate people who may need to be hospitalized to treat COVID-19 even when they can’t afford it.
The minister was speaking on 702 on Wednesday after announcing another jump in the number of coronavirus cases in South Africa.
As of this morning, there were 709 confirmed cases.
As more COVID-19 cases were reported in South Africa, concerns are mounting that the public health system will not cope.
Hospitals are already overcrowded, some infrastructure is old and there aren’t enough doctors.
Mkhize said that the government was in talks with private hospitals, hoping they would open their doors for COVID-19 patients who may not be covered by medical aid or don’t have money for exclusive health care.
“The agree is there. It’s a principal agreement to say we’re counting all the birds.”
Mkhize said that private and public health facilities were already sharing resources.
“We’re looking at who’s got what stock and where we can move the staff from private to public.”
The minister said that at the end of the day, whatever services were there to fight the virus must be made available for all.
In other news – Lerato Kganyago fired for going to buy washing powder at Makro – Watch
With just a day to go to the Lockdown, people are panic buying and hoarding, and shelves are going empty each day. DJ and radio personality Lerato Kganyago was left confused after a tweep described her as ‘dramatic’ after going to Makro for washing powder buying.
On Tuesday, 24 March 2020, Lerato shared a video of the long line at her local Makro store, continue reading
Source: EWN
