Limpopo residents receive surgeries after long wait

The Limpopo Department of Health has partnered with Netcare, in a drive to substantially address surgical backlogs in the province, a situation that was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As part of the immense collaborative public-private partnership, surgical teams from both the provincial department and Netcare Pholoso Hospital is undertaking 80 cataract surgeries for patients from the Mopani district,” said Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba.

Ramathuba said that the department is collaborating with Netcare to assist in performing much-needed surgery on patients who have in recent months been awaiting certain ophthalmic, vascular, gynaecological and orthopaedic procedures.

They will also be performing vascular surgery for 56 patients requiring permanent catheters for renal dialysis treatment.

“This collaborative initiative is part of the department’s short-term strategy to deal with surgical backlogs across all surgical disciplines. It is part of our ‘#RuralHealthMatters’ approach to aggressively address such backlogs and bring healthcare to the people of the province at this critical juncture in our nation’s history,” said Ramathuba.

She said the department has been aggressively taking specialised surgical services to the rural regional and district hospitals in a coordinated outreach approach to not only to address surgical backlog but also to strengthen the capability of our rural hospitals in a sustainable manner.

“This collaboration complements our interventions. We are pleased to have achieved this partnership and collaboration with Netcare Pholoso Hospital. We are showing that something can and will be done,” she said.

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Jacques du Plessis, managing director of Netcare’s Hospital division congratulated Ramathuba and the department on their efforts to improve healthcare accessibility for the people of Limpopo.

“Netcare and Netcare Pholoso Hospital are delighted to be partnering with the LDoH under the great vision and leadership of Dr Ramathuba. This initiative will make a meaningful difference in the lives of many individuals and their families within the province. By collaborating with private healthcare providers, provincial budgets can be stretched substantially further for maximum impact.

“Netcare is of the view that partnerships such as this demonstrate that it is possible for the public and private sectors to work together to improve the healthcare landscape for the good of individuals and communities,” added Fabion Bennett, general manager of Limpopo Department of Health.

“Neither the private nor the public sector has the means to tackle the healthcare challenges that South Africa faces on their own. Together, however, the two can make really meaningful strides in developing an infrastructure that provides healthcare that is more equitable for all. This partnership points the way to the future and offers a way forward for the healthcare sector as a whole as we prepare for the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI).”

Ramathuba said that the collaboration also involves Netcare and the department working together to recruit scarce clinical skills and talent into the province and to retain these skills in the province.

“These innovative and groundbreaking interventions are made possible by the passion and commitment of talented young health system leaders and clinicians in the public and private sector who are driven to make a meaningful change in the lives of all South Africans and to make NHI a reality.”

This article was republished from Letaba Herald with permission 

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