“Should we be given the authorisation to start treating Covid-19 cases, the clinically approved protocols, including medication, will be followed.”

Considering the alarming Covid situation on the island and as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) deal us a severe blow by adding us to the list of very high risk countries, we talk to Thomas Mathew, Chief Operating Officer of Welkin Hospital, to have a clearer idea of what private hospitals, particularly Wellkin, have to offer to Covid patients opting for private care.

As the Covid virus is ravaging the country and the public Covid facilities seem to be overstretched, how is the private health sector doing?
This past year has indeed been very challenging as we had to adapt constantly in terms of sanitary measures and Covid-19 protocols to serve our patients safely. So, C-Care has participated to the best of its capacity in the fight against Covid-19. The institution has been working closely with the authorities since the beginning of the pandemic in Mauritius in 2020.

What have you achieved so far?
We have adapted our services to the new Covid-19 reality. Thus, our medical and non-medical staff were trained and equipped to deal with this type of health emergency. C-Care has invested a total of Rs4 million to set up a biosafety level 2 laboratory through its laboratory – C-Lab. This new equipment has allowed us to start Covid-19 PCR testing as per the World Health Organization protocols. The PCR tests allow us to protect our patients, doctors and staff. A dedicated pathway was also set up at the beginning of the pandemic as well as a separated isolation unit dedicated to Covid-19 patients to ensure a safe environment via a secure and separate structure from other patients in the clinic. Our participation in the national vaccination campaign also helped to relieve the pressure on the public health care system. We have also initiated discussions with the government to start treating Covid-19 patients in our clinic.

I thought you were already treating Covid positive patients! When former Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam was admitted to Wellkin, government members stated that the clinic had received permission to admit such patients. Is that not true?
No, at this point in time, we are not authorised to admit positive Covid-19 patients within our medical facilities. Up until now, Wellkin Hospital only keeps patients for a few days maximum in its Covid-19 isolation ward – comprising of two rooms – before they are transferred to a treatment centre.

So how did the former prime minister end up at Wellkin?
Any person coming to Clinique Darné or Wellkin Hospital for conditions other than Covid-19 first undergoes a screening. If this screening shows any Covid-19 symptoms or risk factors, the person is isolated and a PCR test is done. If the PCR test result is positive, the Ministry of Health is immediately notified. The patient is then isolated in a special unit outside the building where he or she receives first aid while waiting for the authorities to take charge. This protocol was applied in the case of many patients who have stayed for a few nights in the isolation rooms when these were available.

But not everyone is that lucky…
As at now, only two beds are in operation in the Covid-19 isolation unit to provide first aid to the patients before he or she is transferred to a treatment centre. So we are limited in our capacity to cater to patients.

What if a person contacts you because they have been tested positive?
In such cases, we recommend that they go directly to the public health facilities for treatment. We provide first aid to patients who come through our emergency service. Having said that, discussions are currently underway with the government so that Wellkin Hospital can start treating positive Covid-19 cases in a dedicated and separated Covid-19 isolation ward. 

“Our Covid-19 five-bed ICU unit is not yet operational to welcome patients. We are waiting for dedicated staff, equipment and approval from the Ministry of Health.”

This ‘isolation unit’ currently is a makeshift container, isn’t it? Are there any plans to have a real ward?
For the moment, only the Covid-19 isolation two-room ward is operational. However, Wellkin Hospital has invested in a Covid-19 isolation unit of five ICU beds in the basement of the hospital. This area is separated from the rest of the hospital and has its own ventilation system with an adapted pressure system. 

So why are you using the container?
Our Covid-19 five-bed ICU unit is not yet operational to welcome patients. We are waiting for dedicated staff, equipment and approval from the Ministry of Health. In the meantime, the dedicated structure which is found outside the building to isolate Covid-19 patients is a temporary structure and has only been set up to provide a clear and distinct pathway for suspected Covid-19 cases. Our ICU ward will be ready soon.

Should this not have been done before as you saw the crisis coming?
The Covid-19 preparedness plan has been ready since the beginning of the pandemic in Mauritius. As a healthcare provider, it is our responsibility to ensure that our medical and non-medical staff are trained and equipped to deal with this type of health emergency. Since the beginning of the pandemic and the implementation of this protocol in March 2020, we have had to deal with this kind of situation on several occasions where a patient who came in for treatment for another medical emergency has been tested positive for Covid-19. The same protocol applies where the latter is isolated while receiving first aid and the Ministry of Health immediately informed so that the patient can be transferred to the state’s institutions.

What exactly does the clinic need to be able to admit and treat Covid-19 patients?
In order to be able to treat Covid-19 patients, we mainly need dedicated staff and specific medication we would like to import. 

How has the government responded to those needs?
Discussions are currently underway and we are sure that we shall be ready very soon. There is a common willingness to speed up the onboarding of nurses and import of specific drugs.

“The dedicated area in Wellkin Hospital is already in place with five beds. The onboarding of the dedicated staff and import of medication might take some more weeks.”

How far are you as far as that is concerned?
The dedicated area in Wellkin Hospital is already in place with five beds. The onboarding of the dedicated staff and import of medication might take some more weeks.

So what you are waiting for basically is government approval, isn’t it?
There is an internal protocol to follow and we are currently in close collaboration with the government to ensure that we are ready as soon as possible. Should we be given the authorisation to start treating Covid-19 cases, the clinically approved protocols, including medication, will be followed. Positive discussions are currently under way.

What’s the time frame? When should Covid patients start benefitting from your services?
In view of the rising Covid-19 cases in our country, all the key stakeholders are working together so that the setup is done as soon as possible given the challenges. We will do our utmost to put in place this service when we receive all the clearances from the authorities and when we are convinced that all our quality standards have been strictly respected.