MBOMBELA – In an attempt to deal with the backlog in orthopaedic surgeries in the province, the Department of Health has welcomed six orthopaedic surgeons and eight medical nurses to fast-track the process over the weekend at Rob Ferreira Hospital.
According to MEC for health, Mr Gillion Mashego, the day marked the launch of the project, Operation Fix the Bone, Letsema, which was expected to run until September. Mashego explained that this project was the beginning of partnering with other health workers both in the province and beyond in improving the department’s service delivery.
Last weekend 41 patients were scheduled to undergo different operations from Friday to Sunday. Eleven on Friday,
15 on Saturday and four on Sunday. Thirty in total had been performed, making a shortfall of 11.
Previously the department had been under fire from both national and local media due to the shortage of orthopaedic surgeons which allegedly contributed to the death of accident victims who had to wait months before they could have surgeries to repair their bones.
Mashego stated that at the beginning of the year the number of patients who needed to be operated on was 2 000 with only three orthopaedic surgeons in the province, one at Rob Ferreira, Themba Hospital and Ermelo. “One can imagine the amount of work these doctors are faced with, however, due to commitment and their dedication the number has decreased to 336.
Mashego added that Operation Letsema will run in various hospitals of the province with the doctors from Gauteng continuing to render their services until all the orthopaedic cases had been completed. The project will continue until September.
Walking around the hospital, Mashego assured the patients that their day of finally being operated on had come and wished them a speedy recovery. One of the patients, Ms Kate Hola, who had been involved in a car accident on Good Friday said, “I’ve been here for long, but with the arrival of the doctors, I’m happy that I will be going home soon.”
Mr Johan Pieters who was involved in an accident in Ohrigstad, said, “This is my fourth week in this bed, finally it’s here, I’m quite happy about it.”
Patients begged Mashego to ensure that the doctors wouldn’t leave the hospital before helping them. Some had dislocated their hips, wrists and sustained other injuries, and some have come from as far as the Limpopo Province. One of them is 17-year-old Lucky Makofane, a grade 9 learner of Calvin College in Burgersfort who had his wrist dislocated while playing soccer at school earlier this year. He was transferred to Rob Ferreira from Lydenburg Hospital.
Mashego also begged the people of Mpumalanga to be patient with his department as its services do not only cater for those in the province, but also those from neighbouring countries and provinces who are transferred here.
