The United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH) has in less than six weeks observed an increase in patient admissions, which could be a sign that effects of the third wave are starting to show.
Patients with Covid-19 who go to UBH are treated at the renovated Old Bartley Memorial Block and a Covid-19 facility run by Arundel Hospital at the institution.
“We are beginning see an increase in our admissions from zero to one to eight to 18 in less than six weeks maybe this means the third wave is upon us,” said Acting UBH Chief Executive Officer, Dr Narcisius Dzvanga after receiving a donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from a United Kingdom Charity, Impilo Revival Thursday.
Dr Dzvanga, also the consultant physician in charge of Covid-19 patients, said the institution was in desperate need for more support of this nature to protect the institution’s health workers.
“This has taken me by surprise to see that such resources were mobilised for such a huge consignment, which will go a long way in protecting our staff as they look after the patients. God bless the hand that gives,” he said.
Impilo Revival Charity organisation is registered in the UK and is dedicated to raising funds to buy essential life saving medical equipment for Bulawayo hospitals.
Founder of the charity, Judy Olonga, a nurse by profession working for the UK’s National Health Service, said despite the high risk of exposure to Covid-19, healthcare workers who were appropriately protected minimised risk of catching the virus.
“Health care systems must have adequate PPE and also prioritise procurement and distribution to healthcare workers. Lack of PPE is a major reason why there is Covid-19 infection among health care workers,” she said.
44 new local cases of Covid-19 and two deaths were reported on April 30, 2021 by the Ministry of Health and Child Care bringing the total number of patients with confirmed cases to 38 235 and 1 567 deaths so far.
As of April 28, 2021 at 3pm there were 46 hospitalised cases. Of these, 13 were asymptomatic, 25 had mild to moderate symptoms, six were severe and two were hospitalised in the Intensive Care Unit although Midlands, Manicaland and Masvingo did not report.
The number of Covid-19 new infections have been on the increase of late as 62 new local cases were reported on April 27, 2021.
