5-year wait for hip op at Bara hospital

27 September 2017  

11 736 patients are waiting for operations at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, and the longest waiting time is five years for a hip operation.

This information was disclosed yesterday by Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa in an oral reply to my questions at a sitting of the Gauteng Legislature.

She also said that 1824 operations had been cancelled for various reasons at the hospital last year.

I am astounded that so many patients are waiting for operations at this hospital.

The number has increased dramatically in the last two years as 4846 patients were waiting for surgery at the hospital in 2015 according to a previous reply to my questions in the Legislature.

Part of the problem is the high number of cancelled operations due to machinery breakdowns and staff shortages.

The surgery backlog should never have been allowed to grow so high at this hospital.

Patients suffer when they have to wait so long for surgery. It is inhuman to ask people to wait five years for a hip operation.

Special measures should be introduced to cut the surgery waiting lists, including extended operating hours and a partnership with the private health sector.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 27 September 2017