Patients left waiting a year for surgery at Mbombela state hospital

Surgical patients at Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mbombela face severe health complications as waiting times for critical operations stretch past a year.

According to Lowvelder, patients say they are often given surgery dates, only to arrive at the hospital and be informed that their procedures have been postponed and new dates will be provided.

For some families, the prolonged waiting has allegedly had tragic consequences, with relatives claiming that loved ones died while waiting for critical operations.

Those affected include cancer patients and people who suffered serious injuries in car accidents. Others were referred from hospitals where the specialised equipment or expertise needed for certain procedures is not available.

Some patients claim their conditions have deteriorated while waiting for surgery, and others allege they suffered further complications, including the loss of body parts, during the prolonged waiting period.

The situation has raised concerns about whether patients requiring urgent surgery are being prioritised appropriately and whether they are receiving sufficient information about delays.

Missing files compound patient anxiety

Patients transferred from Rob Ferreira Hospital to Sabie Hospital to help ease pressure on the regional facility are also raising concerns about missing medical records. They claim their files, containing important medical histories and previous treatment information, were taken for auditing but never returned.

According to them, they were informed that auditors had collected the files for assessment, but the records could not be located when required by medical staff.

They say the missing records have made it difficult for doctors at Sabie Hospital to establish their medical histories and treatment plans. Some allegedly had to undergo assessments again, while others were referred back to Rob Ferreira Hospital for further examinations.

For patients who have already endured lengthy waiting periods, the alleged loss or unavailability of their records has added to their frustration and anxiety.

Health department denies removing active files

Mpumalanga Department of Health spokesperson Chris Nobela was asked about the missing files.

He did not clarify whether any files had been misplaced or lost or what may have happened to the records patients say they cannot access.

By the time of publishing, Nobela had not responded to questions about the lengthy waiting periods for patients awaiting surgery, including whether there is a backlog and what measures are being taken to address it.

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