Influx of Covid-19 patients overwhelms Steve Biko Academic Hospital

The department has confirmed that the images doing the rounds on social media were taken at the hospital.

It shows patients treated in the parking area of the hospital.

Gauteng Health spokesperson Kwara Kekana says the facility is receiving patients from private facilities and from other provinces.

“The increased number of patients are sicker and require critical care, with some arriving in groups and putting serious pressure on the facility. Some of the patients the hospital is receiving are coming from private facilities because of lack of space, while others are self-referred from other provinces such as North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo."

She says the facility is under pressure due to the number of patients requiring special attention.

“The complex is currently under pressure especially with regards to the patients that require specialist immediate attention and therefore can be treated in only certain hospitals, that are also overwhelmed.

"The SBAH Emergency Unit entrance has an area that has a roof, designed to handle disasters of especially patients in the emergency category Priority 3, of which patients whose images are in the social media fall into.”

Listen to Kwara Kekana below:

Kekana adds the facility is putting up additional space to accommodate an increase in patients.

“The facility is putting up two additional tents to accommodate this increase in the number of patients coming to the facility. This is one of the interventions by the complex to treat the rising number of Covid-19 patients.

"We are urging communities not to be complacent. The non-pharmaceutical interventions of wearing of a mask, good hand hygiene, sanitising, avoiding closed and crowded places remain central in preventing the further spread of Covid-19.” 

Gauteng Premier David Makhura and MEC for Health Nomathemba Mokgethi are expected to visit the facility on Monday.

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