Coronavirus: Gauteng Health announces additional measures to deal with Covid-19

A masked shopper leaves a virtually empty shopping mall in Johannesburg. Picture: Denis Farrell/AP

A masked shopper leaves a virtually empty shopping mall in Johannesburg. Picture: Denis Farrell/AP

Published Mar 22, 2020

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Johannesburg - The Gauteng Department of Health has announced additional measures to deal with the spread of Covid-19 following the declaration of a national state of disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa. 

Gauteng currently has the most confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country with 125 in the province and a total of 240 countrywide.

The following measures will apply to Gauteng facilities: 

* All elective surgeries are hereby cancelled (these are surgeries that are planned in advance rather than those done in an emergency situation) 

* Elective surgery with planned high care should be rescheduled to maintain surgical capacity 

* All annual health events are cancelled 

* The Out Patient Department (OPD) will reduce the number of patient visits by using the appointment system 

* A separate area for patients with flu-like symptoms to be identified in facilities 

* Thuthuzela Health Care Centre services to be extended beyond providing Forensic Services.

* Increase the number of chronic patients to be linked with Centralized Chronic Medical Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD), and patients to be provided with 3 months’ supply of medication, and repeat script for six months. 

* Patients will also be encouraged to use Pele Boxes for collection of medication 

* Restrictions on visiting hours in facilities. Only two people per patient will be allowed, with one person per patient for no more than 15 minutes. 

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