Cape Town man struggles to get tested for Covid-19 at private hospital

Jansen updated his

Facebook status on Thursday, saying that before going to the hospital he had felt a bit sick. After his CEO advised him to get checked out, he went to Melomed Mitchells Plain Private Hospital, where he says he was sent back and forth without anyone seeing him.

“I went to Melomed Mitchell’s Plain and no doctor would see me. I was told to get a referral letter from my GP. Once I got back to Melomed Mitchells Plain, I was informed that my GP has to complete this form from the Department of Health,” he said in his Facebook status.

He said the hospital provided him with a hotline number which he called three times, but still got no assistance.

Western Cape Department of Health deputy director of communications Mark van der Heever told News24 that the hotline number was currently under pressure from people calling in with fears of having contracted the virus. Van der Heever added that there was a standard procedure across the board, whether a patient went to a private or public hospital.

“The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) provided a hotline for patients to call first before heading to health facilities. This is to help maintain the spread of the virus. Once you call the number, explain your symptoms and where you have travelled, or with whom you have had contact,” Van der Heever said.