The University Hospital of the West Indies says the majority of the patients visiting the emergency room in recent days have required admission due to non-communicable diseases.
The number, close to 50, has forced the hospital to announce a temporary hold on the transfer of non-emergency cases from other institutions.
Medical Chief of Staff at the hospital, Dr. Carl Bruce provided an update.
Kimone Thompson reports.
The hospital announced the transfer suspension on Thursday, saying the institution was at full capacity.
Speaking on Nationwide This Morning on Friday, Dr. Bruce says there’s been a significant increase in the number of patients visiting the emergency room.
He says 90% of them present with complications from chronic non-communicable diseases.
As a result, UHWI is requesting that all private and public hospitals, as well as nursing homes, retain stable patients until the situation improves.
The hospital says it continues to provide care for emergency cases and will accept critically ill patients who require immediate attention.
Those patients will be transferred directly to the critical care unit as needed.
Dr. Bruce says this is the reason UHWI issued an advisory to its partners at other healthcare facilities informing them that it has suspended accepting transfers.
He says the advisory only affects the transfer of stable patients.
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