Hospitalisations, surgeries, suspended for 30 days, measure does not apply in case of emergencies, pregnant women

The head of Department for Emergency Situations (DSU), Raed Arafat, announced on Monday that an Order will be issued according to which, for a period of 30 days, hospitalisations and surgeries, as well as other treatments, will be suspended as well as other non-emergency medical investigations that can be rescheduled.Raed Arafat told a press conference at Victoria Palace of Government that due to SARS-CoV-2 infections, there is currently pressure on the emergency and health sectors. In this regard, he drew attention to the fact that within a week the number of infections has doubled and that "there is still no leveling or declining trend"."After discussions with colleagues from the Ministry of Health, the analyses made at the National Intervention Command and Coordination Center, discussions with several hospital managers, we have to issue an Order, for 30 days, which stipulates that starting with the date of its issuance, the managers of public health facilities with beds are to order measures to suspend hospitalizations, for surgeries and for other non-emergency treatments and investigations that can be rescheduled. The managers of public health units will do this," he said.Arafat stressed, however, that these provisions do not apply to emergencies, pregnant women who require mandatory checks, patients with chronic cancer or who require dialysis procedures, who must be seen regularly for monitoring, investigation or treatment. Such medical procedures will continue to be performed in public medical units.The measures are applicable based on the analysis of the specialist doctor. Arafat mentioned that the doctor will make the case in the observation sheet what is the medical motivation that imposes the need for the patients' hospitalisation.At the same time, the managers of the public units with beds will distribute the staff that becomes available to the structures that treat COVID patients.