Suspected Covid-19 cases who are able to should be allowed to self-isolate and not be forcibly detained
19 April 2020
Note to Editors: Kindly find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by DA North West Spokesperson on Health and Social Development, Gavin Edwards.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West has been informed that persons suspected of contracting Covid-19 are being forcibly detained at the Tshepong Hospital in Klerksdorp, Matlosana Local Municipality while their test results are pending.
A resident has been admitted to this designated Covid-19 hospital while awaiting the results of the diagnostic tests. His request to return home and self-isolate was met with forceful resistance by the hospital staff and he was threatened by security to cooperate.
We were also informed that about 10 persons suspected of contracting Covid-19 have been kept involuntarily in a single ward at Tshepong Hospital, with tests results outstanding for more than 5 days.
The DA calls on the Department to pronounce itself on this allegation because, if true, it runs the risk that should a positive test come back, it places everyone in the ward at risk, even if they happen to be negative.
Forcible detention can not be a blanket approach. The DA believes that in the interest of preserving the health system for those who have nowhere else to go, those who are able to self-isolate should do so and only those who can't and those who pose a flight risk, should be detained in hospital. The Health Department's testing and tracking teams must ensure that those who self-isolate at home abide by the rules.
The blanket approach of forced isolation is in contrast of the announcements of the Minister of Health, Dr Mkhize, and his call to provinces to prevent putting strain on available facilities. It further runs the risk of exposing uninfected persons to contracting the virus.
The regulations surrounding forced isolation are quite clear and it must be implemented only in the instance where a patient has indeed tested positive for Covid-19 and has been identified as a flight risk after a proper assessment has been made or where the suspected Covid-19 patient is not able to self-isolate.
The DA wrote to the MEC of Health, Madoda Sambatha, to make him aware of our concerns and to urge him that testing in the province need to be expedited with a turnaround time of 48 hours at the most.
The forced isolation of patients will discourage those possibly infected with Covid-19 to come forward for testing.
The DA will continue to engage government on Covid-19 related matters, propose alternatives and monitor the effectiveness of the battle against Covid-19 while ensuring that people’s rights are upheld and that both lives and livelihoods are protected.
Issued by Gavin Edwards, DA North West Spokesperson on Health and Social Development, 19 April 2020
