POLOKWANE – While much is done to promote October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, patients who are scheduled for a mammogram scan at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital are being referred to private institutions in the city as the mammogram machine at the hospital has not been working for the past two years.
Dr Darias Tsatsi from Mammo Clinic in the city confirmed that the department refers some of the patients to his practice for mammogram scans.
He however, did not want to give much comment on the matter, saying he had to consult with his partner first before formulating a response.
Review investigated and found that a mammogram scan costs R1 050 per patient, which the department allegedly pays for each patient sent to this institution until the mammogram machine at the hospital is fixed.
A local doctor, who spoke to Review on condition of anonymity said: “I worked at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital as a junior doctor and as a specialist.
“If a patient cannot afford private service, the hospital provides the basic service to patients.
“Not the best option, but if there is no other alternative, I do not discourage the radiology department at the hospital.
“Due to logistics, patients cannot transfer themselves to Pretoria and the patient must be transferred by a local doctor first”.
The doctor added that in his opinion, it was unacceptable that the mammogram machine at the hospital was not working.
“A mammogram is the basic service of early breast cancer detection. It is therefore extremely important, indeed essential, that it is operational.
“In this case, I would definitely refer all my patients to another centre where this basic service is available,” the doctor said.
According to a source within the department, a tender was advertised and awarded, but final permission from the department to install the machine was still awaited.
Review found a reference for a compulsory site visit for the supply and delivery of the installation of digital mammography equipment on a lease basis and for the de-installation of existing equipment at the Pietersburg and Mankweng Hospitals (tender number HRDP 306/13 advertised late November last year).
A portfolio committee on health’s report for their oversight visit in Limpopo on August 10 to 12, 2011, which included the Mankweng Hospital, found the mammography unit, which was transferred from the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital, was closed as the machine had not been tested.
Macks Lesufi, department spokesperson, confirmed that the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital had a problem with the mammogram machine for more than a year. “So far, a service provider has been appointed. The department did receive equipment, but certain nitty gritty issues about maintenance still had to be sorted out before installation,” Lesufi said. He also confirmed that patients were referred to private institutions.
“In the interim while processes regarding the service provider are being finalised, our patients are referred for private observation at the cost of the state,” Lesufi said.
By the time of going to print, Lesufi could not answer additional questions, including when the mammogram machine at the hospital would be working and how much it would cost the state to make use of a private institution while the machine was not operational at the hospital.
