The Eastern Cape department of health has amped up its services to deal with the influx of people who will be descending on the province for the 106th ANC celebrations, provincial head of public health Mthandeki Xhlamlashe said.
He told the Daily Dispatch that the health department was preparing its hospitals around Buffalo City Metro to be ready to deal with thousands of ANC supporters who will be attending the celebrations in East London this weekend.
Xhlamlashe said a team of department officials had conducted a bed-availability analysis in all big hospitals in the region so that they know what is available and where.
Emergency services were also strengthened for better capacity to handle the masses.
“All institutions in the province were included in the planning to handle the influx of people, because we anticipate every part of the province to be affected by the large number of people making their way down.”
He said while the focus concentrated on hospitals in Buffalo City Metro and surrounding areas up to Butterworth, hospitals along the national routes were also on standby to attend to any disasters or emergency interventions needed.
“Institutions along the north and south N2 route, the R63, the N10 from Northern Cape and the N6 from Aliwal North are part of our contingency plans to manage disasters and medical emergencies.”
Xhamlashe said in the metro, Frere and Cecilia Makiwane hospitals were equipped with more doctors and nurses, mostly from other parts of the province, while others were outsourced nationally.
Buffalo Park Cricket Stadium would also be equipped with medical personnel.
“We’ll be deploying four ambulances to the stadium, along with doctors and nurses to be on guard. Sixteen more ambulances will be patrolling the beaches and stadium perimeters. We’ll also be backed up by three helicopters for cases of emergencies to avoid ambulances being stuck in traffic.”
He stressed that this wouldn’t affect the normal operations of primary services at the hospitals.
Department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo advised those attending the celebrations to take drinking water with them, and said the organisers should ensure water availability at the stadium at all times to minimise the risk of dehydration.
“We also advise buses and other modes of transport that would be transporting people to East London on the day of the celebrations to ensure clean drinking water is available in their buses for rehydration as temperatures are going to be very high on the day,” he said.
“The department is urging all ANC supporters and followers who are on chronic medication to ensure they bring along their treatment to avoid unnecessary complications and collapses while away from home.” — nonsindisoq@dispatch.co.za
Health department readies for crowds at ANC celebrations
He told the Daily Dispatch that the health department was preparing its hospitals around Buffalo City Metro to be ready to deal with thousands of ANC supporters who will be attending the celebrations in East London this weekend.
Xhlamlashe said a team of department officials had conducted a bed-availability analysis in all big hospitals in the region so that they know what is available and where.
Emergency services were also strengthened for better capacity to handle the masses.
“All institutions in the province were included in the planning to handle the influx of people, because we anticipate every part of the province to be affected by the large number of people making their way down.”
He said while the focus concentrated on hospitals in Buffalo City Metro and surrounding areas up to Butterworth, hospitals along the national routes were also on standby to attend to any disasters or emergency interventions needed.
“Institutions along the north and south N2 route, the R63, the N10 from Northern Cape and the N6 from Aliwal North are part of our contingency plans to manage disasters and medical emergencies.”
Xhamlashe said in the metro, Frere and Cecilia Makiwane hospitals were equipped with more doctors and nurses, mostly from other parts of the province, while others were outsourced nationally.
Buffalo Park Cricket Stadium would also be equipped with medical personnel.
“We’ll be deploying four ambulances to the stadium, along with doctors and nurses to be on guard. Sixteen more ambulances will be patrolling the beaches and stadium perimeters. We’ll also be backed up by three helicopters for cases of emergencies to avoid ambulances being stuck in traffic.”
He stressed that this wouldn’t affect the normal operations of primary services at the hospitals.
Department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo advised those attending the celebrations to take drinking water with them, and said the organisers should ensure water availability at the stadium at all times to minimise the risk of dehydration.
“We also advise buses and other modes of transport that would be transporting people to East London on the day of the celebrations to ensure clean drinking water is available in their buses for rehydration as temperatures are going to be very high on the day,” he said.
“The department is urging all ANC supporters and followers who are on chronic medication to ensure they bring along their treatment to avoid unnecessary complications and collapses while away from home.” — nonsindisoq@dispatch.co.za
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