Statement by EFF on social benefits of alcohol ban and reduction of trauma cases reported at Groote Schuur Hospital

13 April 2020

The EFF notes the unprecedented decrease of trauma cases reported by the renowned Groote Schuur Hospital during the first weeks of the Covid19 National Lockdown. The Hospital has recorded a 66% decrease in trauma cases on weekend to weekend basis which the trauma unit head, Professor Andrew Nicol, has attributed to the ban of alcohol.

The hospital added that this unprecedented decease of cases in the trauma unit provided a great relief for health workers and hospital resources. As a result more time and resources get to be dedicated on patients needing intensive care, operations, and other admissions.

The hospital stated that the Groote Schuur trauma centre usually sees around 1 , 100 patients month and 60% of those are usually there as a result of inter-personal violence and 30% as a result of road accidents. Any rational person must pay attention to this data because the Groote Schuur hospital is one of the largest trauma referral hospitals in the world, with an estimated 12 000 patients being seen in the trauma unit annually.

Since its formation in 1938, over 80 years ago, the hospital has never seen such a decrease in trauma cases. In fact, in February last year, the hospital reported that violence was getting so intense in the Western Cape that trauma specialists had to employ "war-zone" medical strategies in their efforts to save lives. They added that in the past decade alone, trauma cases had increased and injuries were becoming more complex.

The hospital was seeing more gunshots injuries and these were the leading driver of intricate surgeries in the trauma unit. In a study published in 2014 the intemationally peer-reviewed joumal, JAMA Surgery, titled Trauma Surveillance in Cape Town, South Africa; An Analysis of 9236 Consecutive Trauma Center Admissions, Groote Schuur scientists stated that:

"There was a strong association between injury and alcohol use, with alcohol implicated in at least 30.1 % of trauma admissions. Alcohol was implicated in at least 2788 (30.1 %) trauma admissions, including 293 motor vehicle crashes (16.8%), 1316 assaults with sharp objects (68.1%), 361 assaults with blunt objects (23.0%), and 39 falls (2.3%)"

The study also showed that "more than half of pedestrian deaths occur when drivers are under the influence of alcohol.. and saw a strong association of alcohol and interpersonal violence".

Upon the enforcement of the national lockdown, Groote Schuur has experienced an unprecedented decrease 66% in its cases. This is of course due to reduced traffic volumes on the roads, but most importantly, alcohol. The reduced number of drunk drivers, reduced number of drunkards having street, shebeen, and home fights, have all resulted in two thirds reduction of trauma cases.

This fact is supported by the experience of the Groote Schuur Hospital Trauma Unity Head, Professor Andrew Nicol who indicated that during weekends there is a spike in trauma cases. He told the media that "If you look at the patterns of the trauma that we encounter, it's all predominantly over the weekend, so that about 50% of the trauma that we see is alcohol-related."

If weekends see a doubling of trauma cases, what will happen if weekends are not extended to 12 days, or three months? Because unless there is restrictions of movements, gatherings and alcohol the national lockdown will just be a long weekend. The result is not hard to see; the things that happen on weekends only, will happen everyday of the lockdown and the healthcare system will be overwhelmed to a point of collapse.

It is on these bases that we strongly calls on government to refuse the pressure placed by the Alcohol industry for the relaxation of alcohol ban and regulations during the national lockdown. The unbanning alcohol is an ill-informed greed-driven call that is not supported by any science or ethical considerations. It is based purely on profit maximisation at the total expense of human life and social stability; to defeat the spread of Covid19, alcohol must be banned to the end.

The EFF reiterated that should the alcohol lobby groups and forums challenge the regulations at the Constitutional Court, we shall legally oppose them. Above all, should the government relax the regulations, we will challenge them through court action. The unbanning of alcohol will lead to a fundamental sabotage of the lockdown and lead to social instability and mass Covid19 infections.

Issued by Vuyani Pambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 13 April 2020