Private hospitals in Gauteng have agreed that it will assist the public hospitals in taking care of Covid-19 patients without pay.
They will officially welcome non-paying patients for covid-19-related care when public capacity gets filled up.
Gauteng has been recorded as one of the worst hit by covid-19 pandemic but it seems they are coming out of the pandemic gradually.
Hospitals in Gauteng have reported a 25% drop in patient admissions, and some officials believe they have passed the peak.
However, some private ICU beds may be needed if there is a later spike in cases but at the moment, capacity is no longer a dire need.
This probable event led the provincial structures of government to strike a deal with the facilities over the weekend.
The plan could help save millions in state funds.
Although, Jack Bloom, the shadow health MEC for Gauteng commended the strategy put in place to have public patients in private hospitals but said it could be used wrongly.
He made it known that the unfulfilled field hospital contracts may provide opportunities for dishonest ‘COVID-preneurs’.
“I hope that any contracts for new field hospitals are cancelled so that tenderpreneurs do not benefit from them.”
