The fight against COVID-19 in Limpopo has received a boost, with the opening of a 38-bed COVID-19 facility at the former Clinix Phalaborwa Hospital.
This makes it the third facility that is fully equipped to treat COVID-19 patients in the province. The hospital was left unused after the Clinix Health Group ended its agreement with the Limpopo Department of Health in 2017, citing loss of profit.
The facility will operate as a wing of the local Maphutha Malatjie hospital. Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba says the facility will only focus on coronavirus patients.
“Learning from what happened with the second wave wherein people from Phalaborwa had to be admitted in Tzaneen Mediclinic or Pietersburg which was very far. We are also working together with private doctors offering them space to work here so that they can admit their patients. Most of the time private patients want hotel service so this facility can offer that. Equally the mines will also be utilising this facility so, we have got big plans for this facility but for now we got 38 beds that we have solely dedicated to deal with COVID-19”
Latest SA stats:
The country has also recorded 67 new COVID-19 related fatalities on Monday, which brings the total number of deaths to 56 506.