Video allegedly shows patients awaiting COVID screening being exposed to rain
“The hospital has maintained that it has reached its capacity for COVID-19-positive admissions”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) yesterday defended the ongoing screening process for admission at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) amidst an increase in cases and an overflow of capacity at the facility.
Its comments came after a viral video was circulated on social media, purportedly showing patients being threatened by rain while waiting in the West Porch Area of the Critical Care Block, which is the triage site for the Accident & Emergency Department.
In a statement addressing the matter, the PHA explained that those patients were being screened for COVID-19, as is the protocol for all patients arriving for care at the emergency department under the hospital’s prevention measures.
“During the rainstorm early Saturday morning, patients in the triage area were relocated from the West Porch Area to the North Porch Area for temporary shelter from the weather,” the statement read.
“Subsequently, those patients were relocated to the General Practice Clinic area in the Ambulatory Block.”
The PHA noted that the Critical Care Block Food Court and its exterior porch areas were designated as the triage site for COVID-19 screening for the PMH Emergency Department since March 2020.
The statement further explained that patients under investigation for COVID-19 infection are held in the exterior porch areas and COVID-19-positive patients are admitted and transferred to either the Special Pathogens Unit, the Legacy Unit or Doctor’s Hospital West.
“For several weeks now, the hospital has maintained that it has reached its capacity for COVID-19-positive admissions. This as it continues to see a daily intake of COVID-19 cases,” the PHA said.
Hospitalizations continue to increase, climbing from just over 50 at the beginning of this month to 100 as of Saturday.
Eighty-two of those hospitalized cases are moderately ill and 11 are in the Intensive Care Units on New Providence and Grand Bahama.
The PHA said hospital officials are in talks with international partners to expand the hospital’s Special Pathogen Unit for the care of COVID-19 patients.
As for the viral video, the authority advised that “the capturing of photographs and videos of patients or staff without permission, and incidents of verbal and or physical abuse, will not be tolerated”.
Additionally, the PHA reminded the public that the Emergency Department is only accepting emergency cases and the facility has a very strict policy restricting visitation to protect patients and staff to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
In the event of a medical emergency, the public is urged to call National Emergency Medical Services dispatchers at 919 or contact the PMH Emergency Department at 326-7014.
Those in need of care for non-medical emergencies should visit their doctor’s office or community clinic.
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