Strict new rules for Eastern Cape hospital visits

The Eastern Cape health department has implemented new procedures for visiting patients at all facilities across the province in response to the national lockdown.

Superintendent general Thobile Mbengashe said the procedures followed the Disaster Management Act.

Mbengashe said visits were limited to 15 minutes per day with one visitor at a time per patient, and visiting times had been reduced to the afternoons between 3pm and 3.30pm. 

He said the new temporary visiting guidelines were being implemented immediately.

“The intention of these guidelines seeks to ensure the safety of the patients to curb infections of the Covid-19 and to regularise access control to all health facilities during these difficult times. Visitors much check in with staff before entering the unit so that the staff is able to verify that the patient wishes to see the visitor. The visitors are not allowed to bring any gifts or items which may be given to the patients due to the safety measures,” said Mbengashe.

He said visits for patients in intensive care units (ICU) would be monitored on a “case-by-case” basis by the nursing staff, depending on the severity of the patient’s condition.

Mbengashe said they did not want visitors coming every day, and there had to be a three-day gap between loved ones’ visits to their friends and family.  

No visits would be allowed to women in labour, paediatric units and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

“Visitors are only allowed in NICU if any change or condition arises. No visitors are allowed in maternal and child health services while a mother is in labour. Our goal is to request privacy and prevention of infection during this time. Once the baby is delivered and the mother has been moved to the post-partum unit, visiting hours are restricted to 15 minutes,” said Mbengashe.

He said all security service providers and security personnel operating in health facilities “must ensure compliance to these new guidelines”. 

While some Eastern Cape hospitals are being revamped to meet the required health standards to fight the coronavirus, some private health facilities elsewhere in the country have experienced Covid-19 infection of health workers and patients, forcing them to close.

Netcare’s St Augustine Hospital in Durban recorded more than 40 nurses infected with the coronavirus.

It was reported that the hospital had closed its doors last week while patients who had tested positive and those who were waiting for their tests results remained at the hospital.

This week Netcare’s Kingsway Hospital in the south of Durban closed parts of the hospital when it was reported that six healthcare workers had tested positive for Covid-19.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Netcare group said parts of the hospital, mainly the trauma unit and admissions, had to be closed as a precautionary measure.

In Johannesburg, Mediclinic closed its hospital in Morningside, after 15 staff members and nine patients at the facility tested positive for coronavirus. During a press conference on Wednesday, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said the government would assist private hospitals to procure protective gear in a bid to halt the growing number of infections recorded at these facilities.

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