More than 11 000 patients waiting for surgery at Bara hospital
Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi has confirmed that the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital has a backlog of over 11 000 patients waiting to undergo different surgeries.
Mokghethi was answering questions asked by the DA in the Gauteng Legislature yesterday.
These include general Surgery and Trauma, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, and Urology.
Spokesperson Motalatale Modiba says they are working to scale down the number of patients waiting.
"Some of the factors that led to the long waiting times include the shortage of post-operative intensive care unit and high care unit beds, power outages, and dysfunctional boilers. Some procedures were delayed by the Covid-19 outbreak"
Gauteng Health Spokesperson Jack Bloom said the waiting list is impacting those diagnosed with Cancer.
"The longest waiting time is for hip and knee replacements where 1767 patients will wait for more than 4 years. The human suffering is immense and delayed surgery for cancer is life-threatening. I hope that the special efforts to cut down the waiting lists make a substantial impact."
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