Public hospitals overwhelmed, non-urgent surgeries postponed

The main public hospitals across Mauritius have begun prioritizing and rationing limited resources as a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations overwhelms healthcare systems.

Defi Media reported on Monday that non-urgent operations are being postponed – until the situation “becomes more manageable.”

The newspaper added that funeral companies are equally overwhelmed with over 90 official and hundreds of non-official deaths recorded over the past two weeks.

Faced with the lack of space and free beds in hospitals, the Senior and Other Nursing Staff Association called for the use or larger government-owned spaces to treat COVID-19 patients.

Nurses’ spokesperson Pradeep Taukoor’s reaction came after the death of a Health Care Assistant on Saturday. He urged authorities to consider using the Côte-d’Or sports complex or schools to accommodate patients.

He also urged the government to provide an additional stock of oxygen containers.

The latest COVID-19 victim is port trade unionist Sada Kistnen, also a leading figure of the Port Louis Maritime Employees Association. Kistnen reportedly died on Sunday at the age of 64.

Nicknamed Ton Sada, he is known to have fought for decades for the welfare of port workers.