Health facilities kept busy over Easter weekend, but not overrun

The recently concluded Easter Weekend once again posed a range of challenges to our health system. Our staff and health facilities once had to bear the brunt of avoidable additional trauma cases. 

From 08:00 on Friday, 15 April, to 08:00 on Tuesday 19 April, 2 547 trauma cases were recorded across 33 health facilities.

Stabbings and assaults were of the biggest contributors to the province’s quadruple burden of disease. We thank all our staff who worked extremely hard over this long weekend to ensure all our people are cared for.

Our Emergency Medical Services were also kept quite busy responding to several crashes, including one on Friday in Leeu Gamka where 11 people sadly lost their lives.

Breakdown of trauma presentations:

• 57 gunshots
• 671 stabbings
• 550 blunt assaults
• 143 motor vehicle incidents
• 115 pedestrian incidents
• 812 accidental injuries
• 44 self-harm injuries
• 78 burn injuries
• 12 sexual offences
• 40 cases of gender-based violence
• 25 cases of child abuse

Although our services were kept busy over the course of four days, we are pleased to note that our system was not overrun while it managed these trauma cases in addition to the other health services.

The Department has a range of data collection mechanisms which informs responses.  These mechanisms will in future support the Violence Prevention Unit (VPU) which will soon be implemented. The VPU will utilize data and evidence, develop policy , and work with relevant stakeholders at the local geographic level to implement measures to reduce violence. This will not only involve the Department of Health but will be a collaborative effort with all of government.