Costa del Sol News: Malaga hospital bursting at the seams

THE worker’s union UGT has criticised the saturation of the Emergency Department of the Regional Hospital of Malaga. The union pointed out that on Tuesday during the three o’clock shift there were nine patients above the optimal number waiting to enter observation in room 1 and four patients in room number 2; making a total of 13 patients waiting to be treated.

UGT warns that this situation continues despite the 42 new beds that the Andalucian Health Service (SAS) opened last month to respond to the flu pandemic.

The union also noted that patients with Influenza were waiting to be treated in armchairs in the waiting room, without being isolated from the rest of the patients and their companions, increasing the possibility of spreading the virus.

These complaints arrive after the CSIF recently uncovered waits of up to 58 hours and that seven added stretchers were placed in the corridors of the Emergency Department of the Clinical Hospital. Although sources from the hospital had said that the situation was “completely normal and that no patient waited for an excessive number of hours” they have now indicated that “we are in a period of high frequency. As there is an increase in the assistance needed for patients at the emergency points as a result of influenza, seasonal viruses and the decompensation of pluripathological patients”.