As Singapore faces yet another wave of Covid-19 cases, there has also been a surge in hospitalised cases.
Though the increase remains proportionate to the rise in overall cases, patients have seemingly had to endure longer waiting times for hospital beds.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the waiting time for admission has risen to 50 hours at some hospitals.
This comes at a time when emergency departments (EDs) are seeing a high number of patients for both Covid-19 and non-Covid conditions.
Sharing photos courtesy of a reader, CNA reported that Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) put up signs informing visitors that waiting time for a bed could extend to 50 hours. The images were apparently taken on Wednesday (19 Oct).
A similar image posted on HardwareZone on Thursday (20 Sep) morning seems to corroborate this.
Source: HardwareZone
The HardwareZone user also shared that they only got a bed 44 hours after they visited the A&E department.
Interestingly, hospital visitors have apparently been spotting similar signs from as early as September.
Source: Facebook
Besides NTFGH, CNA stated that Sengkang General Hospital (SKGH) also has admission waiting times of up to 50 hours.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health (MOH) revealed that the median waiting times at NTGH and SKGH for the week starting 2 Oct were between one and 27 hours.
Source: MOH
In an update last Saturday (15 Oct), MOH shared that EDs in hospitals are seeing a high number of patients, albeit mostly for non-Covid conditions.
The health ministry henced advised members of the public to visit EDs only for emergency conditions.
MOH’s figures showed daily ED attendance levels hovering between about 300 to 450 for most hospitals between 2 Oct to 8 Oct.
Earlier this month, various hospitals across Singapore – including NTFGH and SKGH – had taken to social media to inform members of the public that they’re seeing a high volume of patients in their EDs.
Healthcare staff whom CNA interviewed apparently claimed that they are seeing more patients with severe conditions, who have let their health lapse as they didn’t see a doctor during the pandemic for unknown reasons.
Many junior doctors are also allegedly falling sick, forcing senior staff to take over, creating a vicious and exhausting cycle.
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Featured image adapted from HOK via archello and HardwareZone.
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