Norwegian hospitals are on the verge of providing intensive care. Planned surgeries are postponed and workers' respiratory tract infections mean healthcare professionals have to stay at home.
Akershus University Hospital (Ahus) has ten intensive care slots, with a record 18 patients requiring intensive care on Monday. On Tuesday, there were 11 more patients who needed to be admitted, he reports VG .
Akershus Hospital is not the only one in such a difficult situation.
- There's overcrowding everywhere. In Ullevål, Kalnes and Diakonhjemmet, says the head of intensive care at Rikshospitalet, chief physician Andreas Barratt-Due.
All hospitals fall under the Oslo University Hospital (OUS). On Monday a week ago, the OUS cut its planned surgical activity by 10 percent in all hospitals to free up resources as a result of heavy pressure on intensive care units.
The University Hospital of Northern Norway (UNN) also had to postpone planned surgeries, reports Dagbladet . On Monday, eight coronavirus patients were admitted to the intensive care units at Helse Nord.
Many have to stay home
In the hospital of St. Olaf in Trondheim, we work hard to have enough people to work. The hospital has never had such high sickness absence as it does now, he reports NRK Grete Aasved Hospital Director.
On Tuesday, the management of the hospital met to ask municipalities to take over patients ready for discharge. The fact that they are unable to vacate their beds has led to congestion elsewhere in the hospital, says NTB Acting Health Director Henrik Sandbu of Health Central Norway.
- St. Olavs had three problems at once. In addition to patients ready for discharge, they received a wave of covid-19 patients who burden infectious and intensive care units. On top of it all, there was a cold wave that hit both staff and patients, he says.
Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB
Nakstad is worried
Deputy Director for Health Espen Rostrup Nakstad announced in October, that in the fall and winter, the health care system could be double-burdened because, in addition to the coronavirus disease, it is accompanied by seasonal respiratory infections. Now he believes there is cause for concern.
- If the trend does not reverse, this is worrying as some hospitals already have to cut back on activity and transfer patients. If things get worse, it will be the case for an increasing number of patients who do not have COVID-19.
It has been 20 months since Norway went into lockdown. With time health care has gained important knowledge about Covid-19 and improved treatment procedures. Additionally, the vaccine has resulted in most people not getting as sick as they would if they were unvaccinated. The situation is in many respects better than in 2020, says Nakstad, but emphasizes that there are also new challenges.
- We are in a difficult situation, given the influx of COVID-19 patients. Access to substitutes from Sweden is also less, and a large number of medical staff are now at home due to respiratory infections. This creates an extra burden before we enter the proper winter season.
Source: NTB
Photo: Annika Byrde / NTB
