Sowetan reports that the first open heart surgery to be performed in Limpopo in 23 years signifies that a drive by the provincial health department to hire more specialists is paying off.  

On Monday, the head of clinical services at Mankweng Hospital, Dr Seshoka Muila, said the surgery, which was performed on a 42-year-old female patient and led by Professor Lucas Mohlala, was a breakthrough for the province.  The patient was reported to be doing well after the surgery and was due to be discharged soon.  “This means that we are going to reduce transfers to Gauteng hospitals and patients will start to get intervention as early as possible,” Muila stated.  He indicated that on average the hospital had to transfer 60 adult and paediatric patients a month to have surgery performed at Gauteng facilities.  He also advised that the improved situation would position the hospital as a place of learning for medical students who were studying at the University of Limpopo’s School of Medicine.  Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba commented that the surgery was an indication that public health in the province was improving.  She announced in January that the department would hire 28 specialists in an effort to reduce surgical backlogs.  At the time there were 2,500 patients who needed surgery.

• Read the full original of Zoë Mahopo’s report in the above regard on page 5 of Sowetan of 23 April 2019

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