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.