With more than 32 000 patients on lengthy lists awaiting surgery, the Gauteng Department of Health has vowed to clear the backlogs at local hospitals, prioritising the fast-tracking of critical and advanced medical procedures.
Regular departmental theatre marathons, use of cluster hospital theatres and collaborations, filling of critical vacant posts and minimising disruptions at facilities through contingency plans, are among the measures being implemented to ensure as many procedures as possible can take place.
“Clinicians have to strike a balance between elective and life-saving procedures that cannot wait,” the department said.
TimesLIVE reports that waiting periods range from weeks to months for some procedures such as hernia repairs, cataract and knee replacements; a year or more for hip replacement, urethra structural, knee arthroplasty, implants, and up to 10 years for organ transplants, which are dependent on donor availability and type of case.
“Some of the measures are short term while others will take longer,” said MEC for Health & Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko.
All systems go, action taken
Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital’s surgical cases such as cataract, orthopaedics, urology and organ transplants are performed at several cluster hospitals.
Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital is tackling operation backlogs through departmental theatre marathons, increasing the use of cluster hospital theatres such as Odi, Brits and Jubilee hospitals, and by filling the vacant anaesthetic, surgical medical posts.
Steve Biko Academic Hospital is escalating the procedures for inpatients waiting for surgery and also performs cataract surgery marathons on a weekly basis.
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital is also using the cluster system and Saturdays to deal with the backlog, which is done on a rotational basis. It has also started brachytherapy for urology to reduce cancer patient backlogs.
Tertiary hospitals such as Tembisa and Kalafong are doing daily surgical operations, according to the availability of theatres, and conducting cataract blitz weeks.
On the skills shortage, Nkomo-Ralehoko said: “We are on an aggressive drive to recruit.”
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