Durban - Healthcare workers at a hospital in Durban say they are bracing for an influx of patients once the sale of alcohol resumes this week.
Speaking to the Daily News, a nurse at a hospital said they had been dealing only serious cases over the past few weeks since the sale of alcohol was banned as the emergency rooms were no longer filled with people who had been injured due to excessive drinking.
The nurse said they got a taste of what was to come when a drunk man who was stabbed in the armpit was brought in.
The man was taken to a Durban hospital after he had sustained a knife wound to his left armpit.
The healthcare worker who had attended to the patient on Sunday said she asked him what happened and the patient said he had been drinking the entire weekend.
His injury was so severe that he was operated on for almost four hours.
The healthcare worker said the patient was lucky to have been able to keep his arm especially since amputation was an option because of the extent of his injury.
The patient had also told that healthcare worker that liquor was still available and sold despite it being banned.
The healthcare worker also said that when President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the reopening of liquor and cigarette sales, healthcare workers at the hospital she worked in were left deflated.
They felt that they had been dealing with Covid-19 better without having to attend to “unidentified man” who was found in the street with stab wounds or head injuries.
They had received a break from dealing with neurological cases, especially needing craniotomy operations.
During his speech on Saturday night, Ramaphosa said the suspension of the sale of alcohol would be lifted subject to certain restrictions.
“Alcohol will be permitted for on-site consumption in licensed establishments only up until 10pm,” said Ramaphosa.
“Liquor outlets will be allowed to sell alcohol for off-site consumption from Monday to Thursday during the hours of 9am to 5pm only.”
Daily News