The CTICC Field Hospital, also known as the ‘Hospital of Hope’, will soon be decommissioned. This follows as the Western Cape’s COVID-19 infections continue to decline and hospitalisations lessen. The Brackengate temporary field hospital off the R300 will become the central COVID-19 dedicated hospital for the Western Cape.
The CTICC’s last patient will be accepted on August 18, with the aim of closing the facility by mid-September. Patients will start being moved to Brackengate facility, which assumes the title of the new Hospital of Hope, from Friday, August 14.
“Many areas in the Western Cape have passed its peak, and we are recording a decline in hospitalisations, deaths, and the percentage of positive tests overall. The combined capacity of hospitals in the Cape Town Metro (including non-COVID-19 patients) is stable at 69%,” said Premier Alan Winde in a statement.
“Given the capacity in our health platform, the decline of cases in the Metro in particular, the expiry of the contract to use CTICC in September, and the low number of admissions at our field hospitals generally, we have taken the decision to decommission the CTICC facility.”
According to Winde, the various field hospitals capacity is as follows:
– The Hospital of Hope at the CTICC currently has 57 admissions, down from 91 last week
– The Brackengate facility has 54 admissions, up from 47 admissions last week
– The Khayelitsha Thusong Centre Field Hospital has officially been closed, and there are no longer any admissions at this facility. The MSF has moved the capacity to the Eastern Cape. Patients needing COVID-19 treatment will be provided healthcare at the Khayelitsha Hospital or at Brackengate
– The first patients at the 63 bed Sonstraal Hospital in the Winelands were admitted on Thursday, August 13.
– Additional bed capacity is being added in Hermanus (32), Vredendal (20) and George (20)
Since opening its doors, the CTICC Hospital of Hope has welcomed 1 502 patients for treatment, discharging 95% (1440 patients) to date. Unfortunately, 82 people died at the facility.
“It has made the most notable difference to our COVID-19 response, allowing for acute care capacity to open up at our main hospitals. In doing so, it has saved the lives of many people in our province,” added Winde.
“To every nurse, official, doctor, cleaner and admin clerk involved in this Hospital of Hope, I want you to know that you will all go down in history for what you have done for the people of the Western Cape. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We will be organising a proper closing event for the facility to thank all those involved, and more details will follow in due course.”
Picture: Facebook / Alan Winde