Netcare suspends and restricts visiting hours in light of severity of COVID-19 pandemic
Drickus Maartens • March 25, 2020
Extraordinary measures needed to protect healthcare teams and patients
As of this morning, visiting hours at Netcare
hospitals have been suspended, except in specific special circumstances, as a further precaution against the spread of COVID-19, Netcare announced.
“In light of the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, we needed to take extraordinary measures to protect all healthcare teams and our patients who cannot be discharged,” says Dr Richard Friedland, Netcare chief executive officer.
The following measures will apply:
1. All visiting hours for general wards, ICUs and the high care units will be suspended with immediate effect.
2. The only exceptions are as follows:
- Nurseries and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs): only ONE parent at a time is allowed to visit newborns in a nursery or NICU. This is on condition that the parent visiting has had no COVID-19 exposure and accepts that very strict infection prevention controls will be put in place to minimise the risks to their baby and other babies being cared for in these facilities. No grandparents and siblings will be allowed to visit.
- Paediatrics: Only ONE parent at a time is permitted to live in with an admitted child. This parent is required to have had no COVID-19 exposure and accepts that very strict infection prevention controls will be put in place to minimise the risks to their child and other children being cared for in our paediatric facilities. No grandparents and siblings will be allowed to visit.
- Gravely ill patients: an exception can be granted by the hospital general manager, as authorised by the regional director, in these instances. A minimal number of visitors will be granted this exception and they will be required to wear a mask.
“We thank families and friends of patients for their co-operation with regard to these measures in this unprecedented time and for their contribution to ensuring that we keep our most vulnerable loved ones safe,” Dr Friedland concluded.
Gastroenterologist Dr Nasief van der Schyff shares seven tips for managing acid reflux and explains when to seek help if you suspect you have GORD (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease).
Many people being treated for cancer may not realise that concentrated vitamins, herbal products and chronic medicines can affect how oncology treatments work
Can’t keep food or fluids down during pregnancy? Dr Peter de Jong warns it’s not ‘just morning sickness’. Dehydration is a medical emergency.
When you spot the warning signs of burnout, it’s time to take action. Occupational therapist Mahlatse Mothogoane points out that paying attention early is crucial.
When Rano Kayser was admitted to hospital with failing lungs, standard ventilation was no longer enough. To prevent organ failure, pulmonologist Dr Hlanjwa Maepa and her team initiated ECMO treatment.
Don't let doomscrolling steal your rest. Mental health and daily productivity rely on quality sleep, notes our clinical psychologist Tony Gouveia
Cardiac surgeon, Dr Willie Koen, now operates alongside his son Johan in what is likely the country’s only father-son cardiac surgery team.
Some medical symptoms cannot wait for a doctor’s appointment. Dr Bongani Nghondzweni shares the critical symptoms that demand medical attention without delay.
Thinking about using cheap weight loss injections? Dr Charlene Wolberg warns that trying to save money on unregistered products could cost you your life.
The quiet legacy of trauma
