Ga-Rankuwa pathology facility to boost backlog

A Ga-Rankuwa health facility will help reduce the 17 000 toxicology and 7 000 histology pathology test backlog in the province.

The Gauteng health department announced that it would soon open a new forensic pathology training room in Ga-Rankuwa to contribute to the forensic pathology field and further develop skilled professionals.

This to address a test backlog that had plagued the health department since 2007.

In a statement, the department said to find a lasting solution to address the backlogs, it would continue to engage external private partners through public-private partnerships to augment the current capacity to process cases.

Health MEC spokesperson Tshepo Shawa said though the backlog was a nationwide challenge, the department was committed to putting measures in place to fast-track the reduction of the backlogs.

Shawa said the backlog could be attributed to several factors such as the emergence of foreign drugs which were difficult to trace, an increase in cases involving sudden deaths and circumstances where the next of kin believed the death was due to poisoning.

“Other factors are the absence of medical histories for certain deceased individuals (this leads to prolonged multiple tests on one body) and the limited availability of private laboratories willing to conduct state toxicology tests and appear as expert witnesses in court.”

Shawa said toxicology reports indicate the type and approximate amount of legal and illegal drugs that are in the deceased’s body.

“Histopathology focuses on the diagnosis and study of diseases of the tissues and involves examining tissues and/or cells under a microscope,” said Shawa.

Acting CEO of the Gauteng Forensic Pathology Service, Thembalethu Mpahlaza, said: “We are fully aware of the impact the backlogs have on families of the deceased, who are seeking closure and facing material trauma due to long delays in finalising estates.

We also understand that insurance claims are being affected, and we are fast-tracking interventions to resolve this issue.”

Mpahlaza said the department would continue to embark on a drive to recruit specialist toxicologists to boost the capacity of the existing teams and enhance the ability to process cases quicker.

“The opening of the Ga-Rankuwa Forensic Pathology Service Training Room, which will contribute towards producing highly skilled people in the field of forensic pathology, will lead to the development of histopathologists.”

He said the long-awaited state-of-the-art forensic medical service facility at Helen Joseph Hospital would also open its doors in the first quarter of the new financial year.

“The structure will have an in-house toxicology laboratory among other laboratories. This will be a major game-changer in dealing with the historic backlogs.”

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