Hospitals and clinics across the Western Cape continue to bear the brunt of the violence associated with the taxi strike.
This as staff remain unable to report for work, facilities having to close or operate at reduced capacity, elective surgeries being postponed, and patients having to experience longer waiting times at clinics and outpatient departments.
Certain volatile areas continue to experience a delay in ambulance response time as both ambulances and Forensic Pathology Services have to be escorted by law enforcement.
“We are doing everything we can to ensure our health staff, facilities, and patients are kept safe. We appeal to everyone not to damage our health facilities and vehicles, as we want to continue to provide medical care. Our sincere and heartfelt appreciation to our health and other essential services staff, who have continued where possible to deliver services to those in need despite significant transport and safety challenges,” said Dr Saadiq Kariem, chief of operations at the Western Cape Department of Health.
Due to the ongoing minibus taxi strike, the following services were impacted on Thursday:
Central Hospitals
(Tygerberg, Red Cross and Groote Schuur Hospital)
Elective surgery remains postponed.
Only emergency surgery will be conducted.
Outpatients Departments are open, but patients may have longer waiting times.
District Hospitals
Karl Bremer Hospital functioning at reduced capacity.
Mitchells Plain Hospital under pressure due to discharged patients who cannot be fetched because of transport challenges.
Elective surgery postponed.
Visiting hours cancelled
Visiting hours cancelled at Lentegeur Hospital and Western Cape Rehab Centre.
Community Health Centres and Clinics in the Metropole
Inzame Zabantu CDC, Nyanga CDC, Crossroads CDC, Nolungile CDC, and Gugulethu CHC are closed.
All other facilities are operating at limited capacity.
Heideveld CHC EC under strain.
Du Noon MOU closed until further notice.
Michael Mapongwana CHC will close at 2pm.
Hospitals
Paarl Hospital functioning at reduced capacity.
Community Health Centres and Clinics
All clinics in Overberg, Garden Route, Central Karoo, West Coast, and Cape Winelands are open, but patients may have longer waiting times due to reduced staff.
Cape Times