Australia Sees Lowest Number Of Non-emergency Surgeries In Decade Due To COVID-19 Disruptions

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published December 08, 2022 | 02:50 PM

SYDNEY, Dec. 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Dec, 2022 ) --:The number of patients having elective or non-emergency surgeries in fiscal year 2021-22 in Australia's public hospitals fell to the lowest level since fiscal 2010-11, due to disruptions led by the COVID-19 pandemic, a government agency has found.

According to the latest data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), 623,000 patients were admitted for surgery from public hospital elective surgery waiting lists - a 17 percent decrease compared to fiscal 2020-21.

The number of elective surgeries performed in 2021-22 hit the lowest level since 2010-11 when 627,200 admissions occurred.

"The decrease in admissions in 2021-22 was likely due to restrictions implemented as part of the response to COVID-19 outbreaks throughout Australia and disruptions to hospital services as a result of COVID which affected staff and patients," the institute noted in its hospital system updates.