While many South Africans detest the governmnent’s decision to ban the sale of alcohol during the 21-day nationwide lockdown, Groote Schuur hospital’s trauma unit has experienced a decrease in trauma cases.
Speaking to Cape Talk, Head of Groote Schuur Hospital’s Trauma Unit Andrew Nicol noted that there has been a two-thirds decrease in trauma admissions since the lockdown officially began on Thursday, March 26. This decrease in incidents has lessened the pressure on the hospital’s resources.
“There was something like 37 cases over the weekend, where usually we would be dealing with about 150,” said Nicol.
The trauma unit typically sees about 1 100 cases per month, of which 60% are interpersonal violence, 30% motorcar crashes and the remainder being other causes like sports-related injuries and falls from great heights.
Nicol says that half the trauma cases they deal with are alcohol related, pinning the lack of alcohol sales as the reason for the decrease.
There has also been a decrease in interpersonal violence-related injuries.
“We’re so used to seeing large numbers of gunshot injuries… up to about 85 per month. Suddenly to have that taken off our hands is a huge relief because that takes up a huge amount of our resources.”
Listen to the Cape Talk interview here:
Source: Cape Talk
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