The Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development has begun moving orthopaedic patients who had experienced delays in surgery from Tembisa hospital following an instruction from MEC Ntombi Mekgwe.
The MEC paid a surprise visit to the hospital on Friday to determine what was being done to repair the cooling system that had caused the hospital to delay non-emergency operations. The breakdown in the cooling system had affected theatres causing doctors to delay non-emergency operations.
The MEC apologised to the patients for the delays they had experienced. She explained that a contractor appointed by the Department of Infrastructure Development had started repairing the cooling.
On discovering that the repair work will take a week or two to be completed the MEC immediately instructed the department to transfer non-emergency patients to other hospitals.
The process of transferring the patients started immediately when a patient with neck injuries was airlifted to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic hospital. Four other patients were transferred by ambulance.
Other patients were transferred to Steve Biko hospital in Tshwane. A total of 29 patients were transferred to these two hospitals over the weekend.
The department has placed four regional hospitals on standby to assist Tembisa should the need continue to exist. The MEC has assured the people of Gauteng that she will not hesitate to intervene in any situation that comprise the quality of care provided to patients.
Since coming into office two months ago, the MEC has undertaken to listen to patients and make the necessary interventions to improve the quality of care in Gauteng hospitals and clinics. On the previous occasion she addressed patients who were waiting at the Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital pharmacy.
For enquiries contact:
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892
