Tywabi steps in as the new Chris Hani health chief director
The department of health has appointed former CEO of Frontier Hospital, Sindiswa
Tywabi, as the new Chris Hani Health chief director.
She was welcomed on board by the team on Tuesday.
Her appointment came after the department of Health took a decision to realign its organisational structure.
Along with her team, she will be responsible for primary health care services, district
hospitals, emergency medical services and forensic pathology services.
Tywabi said her goal was to implement strategic and operational decisions,
respond to health needs and meet the expectations of the communities.
With the Chris Hani district declared an emerging hotspot by President Cyril Ramaphosa,
she said health with other sectors, through Joint Operations Committee had to respond to what led to the high numbers of Covid-19 confirmed cases.
“The causes have been identified and the entire team came up with intervention
measures that seek to flatten the curve.
The is a new phenomenon and there is no script to refer to.’’
Tywabi added that Frontier Hospital, as a Chris Hani and Joe Gqabi referral Covid-19
facility, had a significant role to play in managing the complicated cases that needed
ICU and high care management.
“It is for this reason that the number of ICU beds had to increase from six to 16, using
the available infrastructure that need to be repurposed to respond to
Covid-19.”
She attributed increasing deaths in Chris Hani district to elderly people with chronic
conditions.
“The socio economic status of the people exacerbates the problem.
”Clinicians have been urged to effectively manage the comorbidities, thus saving
patients’ lives.’’
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Tywabi said Covid-19 was expected to reach its peak in the winter season.
“The latest guidelines on targeted testing and active surveillance of cases and
contacts issued this month will go a long way in containing the virus.
”The readiness of the facilities through their working committees and streams is paramount.
”The department is also fast-tracking the availability of field hospital beds for isolating the
confirmed people and removing them from their communities, to contain the spread.
“The district, like all others, is experiencing shortages of staff. The department has, however started a process of recruiting clinical and no-clinical personnel.’’
She outlined why the local clinics were not testing for Covid-19.
“At the beginning only doctors were taking swabs.
”However, the training was extended to the tracing and testing teams.
“That gap is being closed gradually as more people are being trained. The clinics screen and refer people to the testing teams.’’
