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Eastern Cape Health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, said the narrative that public hospitals in Nelson Mandela were full and that Covid19 patients were being turned away, was false.
The MEC was back in the Metro on Wednesday leading an inter-ministerial health team to address the increase in Covid19 cases in the province, particularly in Nelson Mandela Bay, Sarah Baartman District and Buffalo City.
"I am saying as public hospitals, we are not short of beds in Nelson Mandela Bay," she told Algoa FM News.
"The issue of Livingstone is one example where we've got 73 beds, but at the same time, we've got 38 ICU beds. Even the 38 ICU beds are just about 50% occupied, so we've got beds. All our beds are oxygenated, such that we even have a portable ventilator at Livingstone."
MEC Gomba said beds are also available for Covid19 patients at Empilweni TB hospital, which was recently renovated as well as the VW Field Hosptial which she said was "equally not full".
The MEC said this was because there were 2,100 COVID-19 beds available in Nelson Mandela Bay.
"This is why I felt I needed to explain that the narrative that was carried meant that we are short of beds, it's not true," Gomba said.
The MEC said it "was unfortunate that we are not differentiating between private beds and public beds. In terms of public beds, we have space that is waiting."
Regarding staff shortages, the Department said it was moving to address this by appointing doctors and nurses at Mpilisweni, Dora Nginza and Livingstone hospitals.
Gomba said during the two-day visit, the inter-ministerial team will visit taverns which she said had been proved to be "super-spreaders" as some patrons do not wear a mask and there is minimal social distancing.
"Taverns found to be violating regulations may be closed or fined," she said.
Meanwhile, the latest report from the Eastern Cape Department of Health on Tuesday evening noted that in the preceding 24 hours there were 1 362 cases and 45 deaths, taking the cumulative numbers of cases and deaths to 120 052 and 4 424 respectively.
"The number of active cases was 8 512, where 77.4% were from Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and Sarah Baartman Municipality and 19.8% from Buffalo City Metro."
The Department of Health said as of 23 November, 15 389 (patients) were hospitalized, where 68% of these occurred in the public sector and 32% in the Private Sector."
The Eastern Cape government's provincial executive council is also meeting on Wednesday with the battle against Covid19 top of the agenda.
