The Gauteng Department of Health has introduced measures to reduce surgical delays at public hospitals, which are grappling with long patient waiting times.

Departmental spokesperson Kealeboga Mohajane said the interventions aim to ensure fairer access to care across the public health system through digital tools, increased surgical capacity and targeted reforms.

There is currently a backlog of about 30 600 patients awaiting various procedures. Of these, 29 969 are older “legacy” cases, while 631 are newly registered cases. The department noted that the figures are still being refined as hospitals verify their data.

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Mohajane said the backlog is driven by sustained pressure on the system, including increased referrals to major hospitals, limited infrastructure and equipment, staff shortages, and disruptions such as last year’s water supply issues, which led to cancellations and delays.

She added that although surgical efficiency has improved, delays persist as emergency and critical cases are prioritised, and the system continues to recover from previous disruptions.

To address the backlog, the department has introduced several interventions. These include the rollout of the Treatment Time Guarantees Surgical Backlog Platform (TTG dashboard), which tracks patients and waiting times to improve coordination and decision-making.

Hospitals are also extending theatre hours to include weekends and after-hours sessions, focusing on high-volume procedures and priority cases.

Additional measures include recruiting specialised staff, improving resource allocation, strengthening equipment maintenance, and redistributing patients to facilities with available capacity.

The department is also refining referral systems, booking processes and oversight to reduce cancellations and improve the use of theatre time.

Waiting lists are being verified and digitised to ensure planning is based on accurate, up-to-date information, particularly at high-demand tertiary and central hospitals.

Efforts are also underway to strengthen hospital resilience by addressing risks such as equipment failures and external disruptions.

The department said these interventions are expected to gradually reduce the backlog while improving the management of new cases and building a more efficient and sustainable public healthcare system in Gauteng.