Health authorities in the North West have raised concern about the increase in the daily number of deaths in the province due to COVID -19 related complications. The province is also experiencing a daily increase in the number of new cases of coronavirus infections.
Authorities are attributing both the deaths and new cases to non-compliance with safety and health protocols by members of the public.
The North West has recorded 80 COVID-19 related deaths in the last seven days, with more than 6 470 cases, in the same period.
These increases have alarmed health authorities. Non-compliance to COVID-19 protocols, and failure to seek medical attention timeously, are attributed to the situation.
“Our people and their families are not seeking medical help quicker, that is why we say you need to wear a mask, social distance, washing hands and sanitising. Now you have a person who decides to try concoction interventions before reporting. At the time you do so, you are delaying access to necessary intervention,” says MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha.
Sambatha says health facilities in the province are overwhelmed. ” Private facilities in Bojanala and private facilities in Ngaka Modiri Molema have run out of beds, they are full. What is happening, in both areas government facilities are working with them to give space.”
In the wake of the latest increases in both deaths and infections in the North West, workers union, NEHAWU is calling for additional deployment of staff.
“If the situation is like this, hospitals are full, private hospitals are also full. There are no beds, public services with the limited resources must carry now the extra burden. Surely a caring employer would then look into the aspects of getting additional manpower that can assist in the process of managing the COVID-19 as a pandemic to relieve the pressure on the healthcare workers,” says the union’s provincial secretary Patrick Makhafane.
Authorities say the increases are mainly in Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, Bojanala, and Ngaka Modiri Molema districts.
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