The University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) has given details on the worsening situation at the facility, as nearly two hundred staff members have tested positive for Covid-19 amid an increase in patient load.
Medical Chief of Staff at the UHWI, Dr. Carl Bruce, says 80 nurses have been affected and this is impacting the hospital's delivery of services.
The hospital yesterday issued an advisory that patients should expect delays in receiving treatment, as its covid areas within the emergency medicine division including the field hospital are at capacity and 10 percent of the medical staff are out due to the virus.
Dr. Bruce says with more positive tests for medical staff and an increase in the number of patients being hospitalised, a crisis is approaching if there is no change.
“We have have 182 staff as of 6pm yesterday have tested positive. Of that 80 nurses have tested positive, so the system that was already short, is under more stress to provide care for an increase in rye number of patients.”
He also said the University Hospital is now faced with space challenges due to covid 19.
“We’re fortunate to have field hospitals to help us out with the situation - we also have the Covid ward, that is full. We are trying to consolidate the non-covid ward by transferring patients who have non-communicable diseases onto selected wards and creating additional space…..” he said.
All feeds
