I’m sorry Mr @alanwinde , I have the utmost respect for you for what you have done so far, but as a senior clinician at one of these very institutions , I’m going to have to respectfully call you out on this one - this media spin is disingenuous to the people of the WC. (1/17) https://twitter.com/alanwinde/status/1343853072657866753

This is the same amount of beds we had before the second wave when the Brackengate Complex was created during the 1st wave - these beds haven’t been added in the last week, they were always there, & most are now filled to capacity as well.. These aren't new beds (2/17)

This sort of media spin respectfully does not bode well with me, and should not sit well with any healthcare worker or citizen of the Cape. To be very clear - These beds have not been added now to the system.. they’ve been there since the start of the first wave.. (3/17)

In fact we've lost 880 beds with the closure of the CTICC.
These tents that are being erected outside the Brackengate complex is not to increase space, but to improve our admission & discharge areas to be able to accommodate more people when we admit & discharge them. (4/17)

We've had 336 beds at Brackengate when the first wave started & we still have 336 beds now. This statement is disingenuous & as matter of honor, it really doesn’t sit well with me that the public are being bamboozled like this... (5/17)

On an average dayshift we have 3 specialists & (maybe) 8 medical officers on the floor for 300+ people. This team is even less on the night shift. We get an average of 50+ admissions a day from 11 hospitals - which (1) ONE Dr has to sift through on an on-call day.. (6/17)

& make rational decisions on who are able to be admitted. This week this has increased to beyond 70+ referrals a day with 385+ referrals in last 7 days - that's more than Brackengate's total capacity which has not increased- these referrals are reviewed by 3 Dr's - THREE!(7/17)

If not for the amazing, almost super heroic work of all our Nursing staff & Medical officers who try their outmost every single day to heal & discharge those who enter our doors, We would probably have to shut our doors every single day just to be able to provide desperate (8/17)

capacity to those fantastic institutions who are working around the clock to help our people. Our teams are exhausted, we don't see our families, we don't shut down, because 330+ souls under our care don't deserve to shut down, don't deserve to suffer - not under our watch (9/17)

I’m overworked, dehydrated & dog tired every single day & in this week I've been dog sick with a persistent cough yet I feel guilty for not being able to do MORE for my amazing colleagues who die a little everyday, with very little support (10/17)

I had to assist manage the platform - dead sick from my room today. Firstly because I had to isolate to ensure no more of my colleagues became sick while my test results were pending & 2ndly because I couldn't see these clinicians who are like rocks take the extra burden (11/17)

of having to see 100 more extra people today because I could not be there. To not be able to do more, even while I kill myself slowly, is heartbreaking. South African doctors are made of tough as steel nails & grit & courage & I see it in their sad dulled eyes everyday, (12/17)

but we're just killing ourselves to try to make a difference, & yet this South African system of too little staff for too much people has programmed us to think that we just aren’t doing enough - which is a lie!!! We're doing so much more than what we are asked to do! (13/17)

Mr @alanwinde - I'm really sorry, but this is wrong.

We owe it to at least be honest to these beautiful souls - our people, both young and old, & their desperate families who are dying in our hands everyday because we just can’t do more than we already are... (14/17)

We owe it to be honorable to the these absolutely amazing Nurses & Allied staff & Doctors who absolutely break their backs everyday single minute of every single day to provide a caring & compassionate & excellent service to every single soul that enters our doors... (15/17)

They are my family and in will not allow you to lie in their name. This lie is not in the name of every South African Doctor & Nurse who deserves the respect of honesty
This lie is not in my name.(16/17)

We deserve more respect than that for killing ourselves trying to keep South Africa alive...

#SADoctorsDeserveRespect
#Covid19SA
@CyrilRamaphosa @PresidencyZA @VOCfm @ANCParliament

May God's peace be with you all. (17/17)