Panama hospitals swamped at over 90% capacity
The pulmonologist and advisor to the Ministry of Health (Minsa) Reynaldo Chandler said that the ideal capacity in any is that the occupation does not exceed 85% and the Council faces the challenge of enabling more beds in rooms and intensive care
The spread of the virus among overstretched healthcare workers is also causing concern with six new cases detected in staff at Hospital Santo Tomas (HST) and in a Minsa office.
Having enough beds to care for all patients including intensive care units– is one of the situations that worry advisers and members of the Council, and between 600 and 1,000 new coronavirus cases are detected daily/
Mathematical models that have been used since the virus appeared in the country on March 9 suggest that 20% of patients will reach hospitals, in both wards and ICUs
The pulmonologist and advisor to the Health Ministry Reynaldo Chandler said that alternatives are being sought such as the use of the Amador convention center, and in the reversed areas of the Ancón township, although this has not yet materialized.
He added that there are other options that have already been put into operation, such as the Panama Solidario Integrated Hospital, which since Sunday has had 15 more beds for patients with the Covid-19 joining the 25 they were already in use for critically ill patients, in intensive care.
Some 100 beds for the care of critically ill Covid-19 patients will be prepared at the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Minsa.
