The Wuhan Virus is impacting the entire globe and Australia and has not been an exception to this.
9News reported that there are “frantic negotiations” to try to save more hospitals from shutting down and guarantee that tens of thousands of beds be used to treat Wuhan Virus patients.
Private hospital company Healthe Care recently laid off 800 workers and 8000 beds at 34 private hospitals across the country are potentially in jeopardy after the federal government decided to cancel elective surgeries as a response to the Wuhan Virus.
In a letter directed to staff, Healthe Care declared that the availability of private hospitals is hanging in the balance. The company is now lobbying the state and federal governments for financial assistance.
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In 2015, Chinese billionaire Liu Dian Bo bought Healthe Care for $900 million. Currently, the company, which 9News revealed was already facing financial pressure, is pressuring the federal and state government for aid.
“We have received no firm proposals,” the company’s letter to staff stated.
“Regrettably, this has driven us to these immediate actions.”
Other private hospitals are facing similar circumstances.
“We need it to be solved by the end of this weekend or hospitals will start to close,” Australian Private Hospitals Association CEO Michael Roff said to 9News.
Ramsay Health Care has 25,000 beds available at 72 private hospitals and is now placing staff on leave. Another private hospital company Healthscope has 4400 beds at 43 hospitals.
Australian states and territories in charge of their hospital systems are in the midst of crisis talks to stay afloat. The federal government has joined the fray as well.
“The important thing is that we keep beds open, particularly ICU beds,” Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said to 9News.
Governments could temporarily obtain beds or pay nurses to be available when they are desperately needed.
Health Minister Greg Hunt declared that firing nurses during this crisis “is an astonishing breach of faith”.
Although Australia and the U.S. have Anglo-Saxon origins, they do depart in several ways.
Obviously, Australia is radically different on gun policy, thanks to its draconian gun control laws.
On the healthcare front, the U.S. system may not be ideal, but it has enough market features to function properly in a time of crisis.
