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Dysfunctional boilers, load shedding and stolen cables were said to have impacted medical procedures at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Gauteng.
This was revealed on Tuesday by Gauteng Health MEC Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, who said the department was implementing measures to minimise postponement of medical procedures at the hospital.
Responding to a question tabled at the provincial legislature by the DA, Mokgethi said the hospital had deferred 870 medical procedures since the beginning of 2022.
“Among the reasons for cancellations or deferments are patient-related factors such as patients not being fit for surgery on the scheduled days of operation.”
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She explained that infrastructure challenges had also added to the delay of medical procedures and mentioned that they were in a process of appointing a dedicated clinical manager who would oversee and ensure efficiency at all the 46 theatres at the facility.
Meanwhile, Mokgethi announced that the provincial health department and Wits University had concluded a memorandum of agreement (MoA) that aimed at strengthening the collaboration between the parties to enable the delivery of quality healthcare services and exemplary health sciences education.
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The department said the agreement included the development of academic health complexes, which would be established as centres of excellence and respond to the health needs of the province and the country.
“We are committed to fostering a close, collaborative working relationship with Wits University. The partnership will also help to ensure efficient, cost-effective, appropriate and sustainable use of our joint resources.”
Professor Shabir Madhi, dean of the faculty of health sciences at Wits University, welcomed the agreement, saying they had hundreds of staff members and thousands of students who served on their clinical platforms every day.
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“The MoA will help regulate the relationship with the provincial health department and hospital managers to facilitate the delivery of quality teaching and training on the clinical training platforms, as well as conducting globally recognised research.”
The MoA also seeks to provide high-quality academic health programmes, health services and research, as well as:
• jointly govern the appointment, recruitment, management and discipline of joint staff;
• ensure that the clinical service platform meets the requirements for academic activities; and
• develop joint mechanisms to rapidly deal with constraints and challenges related to the clinical service platform.
The department said the agreement would be renewed after five years.
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