Abstract

FURSTENBURG, Phillip P. et al. Emergency centre reorganization in preparation to the COVID-19 pandemic: A district hospital's dynamic adaptation response. Afr. j. prim. health care fam. med. (Online) [online]. 2020, vol.12, n.1, pp.1-5. ISSN 2071-2936.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v12i1.2514.

The COVID-19 global pandemic forced healthcare facilities to put special isolation measures in place to limit nosocomial transmission. Cohorting is such a measure and refers to placing infected patients (or under investigation) together in a designated area. This report describes the physical reorganisation of the emergency centre at Khayelitsha Hospital, a district level hospital in Cape Town, South Africa in preparation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The preparation included the identification of a person under investigation (PUI) room, converting short stay wards into COVID-19 isolation areas, and relocating the paediatric section to an area outside the emergency centre. Finally, we had to divide the emergency centre into a respiratory and non-respiratory side by utilising part of the hospital's main reception. We are positive that the preparation and reorganization of the emergency centre will limit nosocomial transmission during the expected COVID-19 surge. Our experience in adapting to COVID-19 may have useful implications for ECs throughout South Africa and in low-and-middle income countries that are preparing for this pandemic.

Keywords : emergency centre; COVID-19; pandemic; district hospital; Cape Town.

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