Masiyiwa’s solution for the shortage of hospital beds as Africa braces for Coronavirus

On his popular Facebook blog, Strive Masiyiwa proposes a solution to how African countries can address the shortage of critical hospital beds to nurse Coronavirus patients.

He writes:

“We don’t have enough hospital beds under normal circumstances. So what are we going to do if a lot of people get sick at the same time?

That is one of the problems with Coronavirus. Specialist hospitals set aside for “infectious diseases” are way too small, where they even exist.

The solution:

1. Let’s start to prepare a minimum 25 percent of all existing hospital beds to take critically ill Coronavirus patients… NOW!

2. Let’s prepare military-style field hospitals in all available halls and empty buildings where there is sufficient facilities for water. During the Ebola campaign, I worked closely with the African military Medical Corps, and I was impressed. They should be out there, right now, building and preparing.

3. Turn to China. Our Chinese friends (and they are our friends, don’t let anyone fool you otherwise  China is our friend), they have the capacity and the reach to help us in this situation.
We need things like Test Equipment, PPE, Ventilators, beds, and even field hospitals and clinics. They also have the technical and clinical expertise. Let’s appeal to them in a coordinated way.

4. Home-based Care:

I have written about it separately. This is where 99% of our people will be nursed back to health (at home). If done properly, it will save millions of lives.”