The state government has announced a staged return to elective surgery, after it was cancelled because of the rise in COVID-19 cases in SA.
Surgeons have been calling on the government to allow more surgeries to go ahead, with some doctors reporting thatLast week Adelaide neurosurgeon Matthew McDonald said he had received phone calls from patients in tears, wanting to know when more procedures would be allowed.Surgeons have previously said private hospitals had the resources available to continue all elective surgeries.
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas has previously criticised the pause on elective surgeries, saying the government did not adequately prepare the health system for the impact of COVID-19.A total of 273 people remain hospitalised with the virus as the number of active cases dipped below 19,000 for the first time in weeks.
Chief Medical Officer Michael Cusack said he was pleased to see the daily case numbers starting to decrease, which would begin to ease pressure on the health system. "I really want to thank those South Australians who have had their surgery postponed for their patience and understanding during this difficult time," he said in a statement.
"We will closely monitor the rates of COVID transmission in the community while working with the Local Health Networks and private sector to ensure we manage a safe approach to surgical activity levels and remain COVID-ready if the situation changes in the future."Watch
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