Trauma cases in Gauteng hospitals spike again after alcohol sales ban lifted
On 1 February, hospitals had around 180 trauma cases, which escalated steadily over the week to more than 500 at the weekend.
JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng Health Department has noticed an increase in the number of trauma cases at hospitals since the alcohol ban was lifted in February.
On 1 February, hospitals had around 180 trauma cases, which escalated steadily over the week to more than 500 at the weekend.
Patients were being treated after being involved in car crashes. The department noted that suicides had increased as well.
The department's acting DDG for hospital services Freddy Kgongwana said that alcohol had a direct impact on these figures.
“Alcohol is intimately related to trauma in our environment, in our institutions. Those trauma cases obviously they come to us because it is our key role to provide health care to the communities that we serve,” he said.
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