MBOMBELA – Saturday May 30 was a life changer for many patients who have been waiting to undergo orthopaedic surgery in Mpumalanga hospitals. The long-awaited operation, Letsema which means “Fix the bone” is an intervention initiated by the provincial Department of Health to deal with the backlog of patients who have been waiting to undergo the surgery.
Gauteng doctors, with other doctors from the province, conducted the surgery on patients brought from various hospitals to Rob Ferreira.
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Before the operation started, MEC for health in Mpumalanga, Mr Gillion Mashego welcomed all the doctors during a media breakfast held at the hospital. “A large number of patients have been on the waiting list for quite a long time for this service. In the beginning of the year, the number of patients who were waiting for orthopaedic surgery was standing at over 2 000 throughout the province, while there are three orthopaedic surgeons within the Mpumalanga Department of Health,” said Mashego.
The MEC further stated that a lot had been done to deal with the high number of patients who had been in hospital. “Throughout the months, the three orthopaedic surgeons in the province, with the assistance of the medical officers have cut down the high number of orthopaedic patients waiting for surgery. I am told that now the number is about 366. This shows the amount of dedication they have shown in their work, despite the minimum number of doctors available.”
Mashego, with other doctors, visited the patients who were eagerly waiting for their operations to start. He told them that the doctors who had come into the province would make sure that they received the assistance they needed. “I have confidence in the doctors and I believe they will do a good job so that all of you can go home and be with your loved ones,” said Mashego.
After analysis of the figure of 366 patients awaiting orthopaedic surgery in the province, the team of specialists decided to start on operating 41 patients for the weekend of May 29 to 31. Eleven patients were operated on Friday May 29, 15 on May 30, and four on May 31. The total operations done were 30, making a shortfall of 11 from the planned 41.
The shortfall on the number of operations conducted where due to the fact that some of the patients had more than one operation, because of multiple fractures. Patients with old fractures took two to three times longer in theatre compared to new fractures.
Operation Letsema will now continue in the various hospitals where the remaining patients will be operated on. Gauteng doctors will continue to render their services until all the orthopaedic cases have been completed.
