POLOKWANE – During her visit to the hospital last Tuesday, MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba learnt that the unit never worked since it was launched in April 2014.
The reason why the unit is not working is because the infrastructure at the hospital is not sufficient for the unit.
During the launch in 2014 the CEO of the hospital, Dr Thabo Pinkoane, said patients could not be treated for heart conditions at the hospital and had to be referred to Gauteng, but with the unit at the hospital they would now be able to treat them. The then MEC for the Department of Health and Social Development, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, said the unit signalled the department’s resolve to reduce the expensive private health care costs that affected people who could not afford them.
Additional personnel were employed after the launch of the unit to ensure quality health care service to patients, however, with the unit not being operational the employees were still there but did not have any work to do.
Since her discovery of the non-operational unit, Ramathuba has met with the hospital management and together with her team in the department she assures Limpopo residents they will work tirelessly in making sure the equipment is commissioned and utilisation starts.
“The functionality of the Cardithoracic Unit means improved health care services for the community of Limpopo, particularly those with cardiac conditions. The Department of Health in Limpopo is committed to ensuring that our tertiary health care services become a reality and not just a dream. The department is determined to root out any form of fruitless expenditure across the board and advocate quality health care for the people of our province,” Ramathuba said.
The department’s short term plan for the situation is that the Cardiothoracic Unit be used as a Catheterisation Laboratory (Cath Lab),which is an examination room where the equipment is used to look at the arteries and chambers of the heart and treat any abnormalities found.
The department will then request money from treasury to adjust the infrastructure so the Cardiothoracic Unit can be operational.
