Public hospitals in the Western Cape are currently under severe pressure due to a sharp increase in COVID-19 admissions and the increase in non-COVID-19 trauma cases, such as alcohol-related injuries and road accidents.
In A statement released yesterday, the Western Cape Government said patients not requiring life-saving intervention will have a longer waiting time if visiting the hospital emergency centre and are thus advised to visit their local clinic.
They urged residents to only go to the hospital’s emergency centre for emergencies and life-threatening conditions. This is to reduce the service pressure on hospitals so that they can treat those who need life-saving interventions.
They issued a reminder that the Coronavirus spreads where people gather, including at public health facilities. Only visit the clinic or hospital emergency centre when you really have to. Always wear a clean cloth mask over your mouth and nose, and keep a distance of 1.5 m from other people.
Patients are encouraged to make an appointment before visiting aclinic, by calling their local clinic. Patients in the Cape Metro can also access the Pocket Clinic telehealth service from their cellphone (WhatsApp) by sending “Hi” to 087 240 6122. Use Pocket Clinic to update your contact details, query your chronic medication delivery, and to confirm an existing appointment before going to the clinic.