Busy New Year for hospitals

Joan Collins THE 061 emergency service received a total of 728 calls on New Year's Eve. These included 56 emergencies, 89 to take non emergency patients to hospital and 90 to take patients home from hospital. During the entire month of December they received 22'617 calls, an average of 729.5 calls a day. Of these: 1'484 were emergencies, an average of 48 a day; 3'475 to transport non emergency patients to hospital; and a further 1'762 to take patients home from hospital. The IB-Salut hospitals - Son Dureta, Son Llatzer, Manacor, Verge del Toro (Minorca) and Can Misses (Ibiza) dealt with a total of 914 emergencies on New Year's Eve. Son Dureta dealt with 307 emergencies and was 72 percent full, Son Llatzer dealt with 281 emergencies and was 69 percent full, Manacor dealt with 156 emergencies and was 64 percent full, Verge del Toro dealt with 59 emergencies and was 60 percent full and Can Misses dealt with 111 emergencies and was 73.4 percent full. The average number of emergencies per day dealt with by the hospitals during the month of December was 929 and during the whole of the month 28'797 people were treated in the emergency departments of the IB-Salut hospitals on the islands. The flu vaccination campaign has now ended. During this campaign IB-Salut have vaccinated 164'000 people. These vaccinations are free for those groups considered to be at most risk. These include those over 65 years of age, residents in old peoples homes, adults and children with chronic diseases related to lungs, heart, and asthma, amongst other illnesses. Also entitled to free vaccinations are adults and children with diabetes and kidney disease and people with immunodeficiency. Pregnant women, especially those in the second 3 months of their pregnancy, have been able to get the vaccination in the health centres on the islands. This is in keeping with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation and the European Union.