Spare
a thought for the chronically and critically ill during the Covid-19 crises
I had to go to the Charlotte Maxeke
Johannesburg Academic Hospital for a check-up last week. It’s one of the
government hospitals that’s been earmarked for Covid-19. The hospital was opened
in 1979 and covers health care for maternity, paediatric, orthopaedic, dental,
surgical, and medical needs. It’s built against a hill in Parktown and has 3
floors of underground parking. The fifth floor, that’s level with the main street
entrance, is called ‘Hospital Street’. This throughway leads to all sections of
the hospital, and each has four floors. The hospital was built with empty
‘interstitial’ floors that could be opened up to double the size of the hospital
in an emergency – like now. I am not sure if this has been implemented for
Covid-19.
Charlotte Maxeke is an academic
training hospital for undergraduate and post-graduate students. Wits medical
school, in collaboration with other universities, has produced some world-class
research. More recently specialists have designed the innovative protection
head-box for Covid-19 patients.
I was impressed to find the
hospital spiffed up. The flooring along Hospital Street has been replaced, walls
have been painted and fluorescent lights have been repaired or replaced. Even
though I was too early for the appointment for my bone-density test, the doctor
did not make me wait. Unfortunately, there were no doctors available for the
clinic, but our scripts had been written up, and we were all given a follow-up
appointment for six months’ time.
Strict Covid-19 protocol was
followed – although I must say that many patients did not seem to be taking these
seriously – wearing their masks under their chins, not sticking to proper
social distancing, and ignoring sanitising stations. The medical profession can
only do so much – it’s up to us to protect ourselves. I understand that this is
easier said than done. But we all have to make an effort. If we could see the
virus, we would all be a whole lot more careful.
I have been going to Charlotte
Maxeke for my Lupus for the last 12 years. It has become my ‘security’, marking
my Lupus journey from one visit to the next. I have an amazing Lupus specialist
whom I can contact in an emergency. In Government hospitals, all appointments
are made in advance and there is no such thing as phoning-in to see a doctor. Everybody
has to wait their turn – no matter how sick you are.
Covid-19 has created a huge
insecurity for regular outpatients – even in private hospitals. Understandably,
the focus is on coping with Covid-19 and we just have to ‘hang-in’ there till
it’s over. This stress amongst outpatients was clearly evident. Whereas regular
hospital visits were something of a ‘social outing’, most people I saw were
anxious about interacting with others. People don’t smile when they wear a mask.
I missed the usual ‘happy chatter’, sharing sandwiches and stories, teaching
women who showed an interest in how to knit or crochet, and taking knitted teddies
to the children’s ward. I can’t do any of these things for a while now. It
makes the burden of Lupus that much heavier to bear. It also makes the stress
of Covid-19 so much more of a reality.
So, spare a thought for people you
know who have cancer, have had a transplant, those who need dialysis, and those
awaiting surgery that has been indefinitely delayed. Their Covid-19 challenge
is a lot harder to bear.
