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Durban community body sets up 20-bed facility for overwhelmed hospital within hours

Suthentira Govender Senior reporter
The 20-bed facility set up outside Durban's Ahmed Al-Kadi Hospital within eight hours.
The 20-bed facility set up outside Durban's Ahmed Al-Kadi Hospital within eight hours.
Image: Supplied

A Durban community organisation set up a 20-bed treatment area on the grounds of an overwhelmed private hospital in eight hours after the facility appealed for help.

Muslims for Humanity reacted to a distress call from the Ahmed Al-Kadi Hospital which needed to urgently set up a Covid-19 reception and receiving facility after critically ill patients were forced to wait in their cars as the demand for beds increased.

Muslims for Humanity roped in community- based organisation Natal Memon Jamaat (NMJ) to assist with the project.

“This project was completed within eight hours from conception and has been operational from January 1,” said NMJ project co-ordinator Imraan Jooma.

“This first-of-a-kind facility will allow Covid-19 patients to be assessed and made comfortable before admission.

“Critically ill patients were waiting outside the hospital in cars without medical assistance, awaiting spare beds at this state-of-the-art facility.

“This facility, besides being manned by professional medical interns, is equipped with oxygenators and oximeters among other medical equipment, some of which was supplied by the Caring Sisters Network.”

Hospital chairperson Dr Ayoob Bux praised the speedy effort.

“The pandemic is posing a severe challenge on both physical and human resources and unfortunately most hospitals, besides having a shortage of space, are also short of suitable equipment to treat Covid-19 patients,” he said.

Hospital manager Ebrahim Asmal said the facility filled the gap “for those patients requiring care but not overnight hospitalisation”.  

“Patients are able to access the care and treatment required in a hospital setting with the relevant specialist available and on site to properly assess and manage them.

“We pray this will free beds for the more sick patients,” said Asmal.

TimesLIVE

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