12 Jun 2023

Ministry of Health has a backlog of specialised surgeries reaching over 9 000 cases.

This was revealed by Assistant Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe at a kgotla meeting in Maposa on Friday. He said following the COVID-19 outbreak, a lot of operations were put on hold as the ministry was battling to save lives.

He also said medical officers were overwhelmed by the pandemic and that they lost a number of them to the virus.

He also noted that because of the health protocols of the pandemic, they had to suspend surgeries until the situation improved.

The Assistant Minister of Health also said the pandemic compelled them to take medical doctors, nurses as well as other specialists in various fields of health for further training.

This, he said, was meant to improve the country’s capacity to deal with future pandemics.

He, nonetheless, said Cuba had  sent a number of specialists who would relieve the situation while theirs were on further training.

He highlighted that some had  already been sent to different health facilities throughout the country and would start doing the operations. He added that the ministry had also engaged private sector doctors to push the backlog.

Mr Lelatisitswe said some health facilities would experience a shortage of nurses but that it would be a temporary situation. He appealed to members of the public to bear with them as they strived to improve services by taking sending  staff for further training.

Regarding the shortage of drugs in facilities, Mr Lelatisitswe said it was due to the fact that the country did not have a drug producing sector and relied on outside sources. He said foreign suppliers ensured that they had enough drugs themselves before exporting to other countries.

However, he said the supply had since improved and that mass drugs were being distributed to different health facilities across the country.

Meanwhile, Maposa residents commended their nurses for helping them with botho despite the challenges experienced.

Village Development Committee deputy chairperson, Ms Sibongile Maposa said they needed an additional nurse and midwife to assist expectant mothers instead of them travelling to Nata. ENDS