COVID-19: Lethem Hospital reduces visitation; examining only emergency cases

The Lethem Regional Hospital in Region Nine has reduced visitations to once per day while its Dental and Outpatient Departments will only be tending to emergency patients, as it seeks to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus Disease.

One person will be allowed to visit the hospital once per day from 06:00hrs to 07:00hrs.

Persons entering the hospital are required to wash their hands before doing so but will be stopped from visiting a patient if they are experiencing any flu-like symptoms.

In a public notice, the Regional Health Officer for Region Nine Dr. Naail Uthman, noted that the Dental Department will attend only to dental emergencies, for example, persons whose tooth/teeth have suffered a fracture caused by an accident, infections or inflammation and severe toothaches. However, no extractions will be done until further notice.

The Rehabilitation Department will now be opened from 08:00hrs to 13:00hrs daily but with only appointments.

As it relates to the Outpatient Department, only urgent or emergency cases are being seen. Some examples of urgent and emergency cases include:

• Someone experiencing severe chest pains
• Someone involved in a motor vehicular accident, open or close fractures
• Pregnant mothers who need urgent medical attention
• Someone who is unconscious and unresponsive
• Someone who has received trauma to the head by motor vehicular accidents, a fall, physical assault, etc.
• Uncontrolled breathing
• Someone suffering from convulsions or seizures and need immediate medical attention
• Someone who requires oxygen due to an asthma attack.

With the exception of an emergency, no vehicles will be allowed into the hospital, according to the notice.

The Region’s hotline for COVID-19 is 772-2006 or 695-6681.

The Georgetown Public Hospital in the city and other health institutions have also put systems in place to cater for their patients’ and staff safety.