Long-awaited Letaba dialysis unit to open in August
Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba has expressed satisfaction with the progress made towards the completion of the renal unit at Letaba Hospital near Tzaneen.
Ramathuba conducted an oversight visit to the facility on Wednesday alongside Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego.
The visit follows her previous inspection in April, where she raised concerns about delays and warned that the contractor could be terminated if progress was not made.
The renal unit is expected to significantly improve access to lifesaving treatment for patients closer to their communities, while also easing the burden on Mankweng Hospital and Pietersburg Tertiary Hospital.
Ramathuba said the facility is now on track to be fully operational.
“I think probably by next week, if not this coming week, another week, we should be starting with dialyzing our first patient. All those connection points are now ready, the machine has already been delivered, they are ready, the company I am told is coming tomorrow so when we leave here they will start with the scrubbing so that they disinfect the entire ward because you don’t want to risk any infection and the company will come in and be able to connect all the machines, all the chairs and beds that are required.”
She emphasised that the government is committed to addressing the backlog of patients requiring renal dialysis, particularly in high-demand districts.
“You would have seen that last month we were in Tshilidzini Hospital; the renal unit is fully operational. These particular two districts, Mopani and Vhembe, the number of patients that were dialysed in Polokwane; the majority of them come from these two districts. That is why we started with [them]. It has got nothing to do with anything; it just has to do with the burden of disease as a result of renal failure. So the demand for dialysis has been in these two districts. We were able to offload the waiting list in Vhembe, and now we can do the same for Mopani,’ Ramathuba said.
PREVIOUS CONTRACTOR WAS TERMINATED: PREMIER RAMATHUBA
The premier also confirmed that the initial contractor was terminated due to non-performance and replaced with a new contractor who completed the project.
“The contractor who was terminated because they had to choose between terminating the contractor or them being terminated. That is why we are completed. I won’t go into the details of the names and all that. The contractor came and acknowledged that indeed this project is too much. What is currently important is that what we promised and what we committed to the people of Limpopo and especially Mopani is that, come the end of July, I will be back. And when I’m back, I’ll be back to give you an update that is positive compared to what I said in April,” she added.
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