Latest news with #NomantuNkomo-Ralehoko
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
‘I could die before surgery': Cancer patient lost in Gauteng hospitals backlog
Over 34 000 patients are waiting to undergo surgery in various Gauteng public hospitals. A man from Gauteng, who is suffering from skin cancer and living in pain, has been told he may have to wait up to eight months for surgery at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. But he doesn't have eight months. He could be dead before then. There are probably many more like him who are low down on the waiting list for surgery at Gauteng's government hospitals and who may die before they are admitted to theatre. Thousands trapped in growing surgical backlog There are more than 34 000 patients waiting, said Gauteng health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in a written reply to questions by the DA's shadow health MEC Jack Bloom in the Gauteng Legislature. The man has developed a lump on his cheek, making it difficult for him to eat and speak. Early this year, he was diagnosed with skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma which has the potential to spread all over the body if left untreated. He is one of the 3 315 patients who has been on the surgery waiting list at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Patient faces starvation and suffocation risk 'The cancer has begun to spread to other body parts causing considerable pain and swelling,' said the patient in a statement. He was scheduled to have a feeding tube and stent inserted yesterday, but the appointment has been moved again to the following week. 'The hospital cannot perform the primary procedure due to a backlog of patients. The growth must be removed, along with reconstructive surgery on my jawline,' said the patient. 'We were told I might have to wait for another six to eight months.' Hospital resources stretched beyond limits Cancer Alliance director Salomé Meyer said the man was turned away from hospital yesterday morning. She said the patient requires a feeding tube and a stent to allow him to breathe and to eat. ALSO READ: Health minister defends nearly R10 million legal spend on NHI court battles 'If that is not emergency surgery then what is? He was told to come back next week as the surgeon is now attending another hospital. 'The hospital has only one operating theatre and one intensive care unit. Patients with trauma from car accidents or gunshot wounds take precedence. 'We are now actively seeking to raise funds to facilitate the removal of the growth before it spreads further and completely blocks his airways.' Meyer said the man first required emergency surgery but his surgery was cancelled. 'If he does not get this surgery as soon as possible, he will starve to death and possibly suffocate,' she said. Budget shortfalls and misused funds deepen crisis Meyer said in 2023-24, a portion of the R784 million that was made available for backlogs was also to be allocated to surgery, but 'we did not get any feedback from the department of health. What we know is that they did not use R250 million of the ringfenced cancer money and now are spending the remaining money on the cancer backlog for radiation,' she said. 'So where is the money for surgical backlogs? The problem is all of the affected hospitals have had staff cuts.' Meyer said it would not be surprising cancer patients were the majority requiring surgery as many of them can 'wait' as their operations are not regarded as emergency or life-saving. She added the budget cuts were affecting all the hospitals. 'Gauteng is particularly affected because of the backlogs. We need to realise that health in SA is in the emergency room – and we do not have blood, or even staff to attend to this crisis,' she said. Patients could wait years Nkomo-Ralehoko said the largest waiting list is 6 764 patients at the Steve Biko Hospital in Pretoria, followed by the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto (6 232), Dr George Mukhari Hospital in GaRankuwa (5 354), and 3315 patients at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital. ALSO READ: Gauteng hospital security bill soars to R2.54bn amid patient care crisis Bloom said: 'Furthermore, figures are only given for 17 out of 37 hospitals in Gauteng. 'Waiting times differ for certain types of surgery; for instance, it is only one to two months for a cataract removal at Leratong Hospital, but two years at the Mamelodi and Yusuf Dadoo hospitals. 'While patients at Kalafong Hospital in Atteridgeville wait five years for hip surgery. They will only wait three to six months at Dr George Mukhari Hospital.' He added: 'The MEC blames the long waiting times on the high turnover of patients to Gauteng and the burden of trauma that takes preference over elective cases. She also admits that load shedding and water shortages lead to cancellations and postponements of surgeries. 'In May last year, the MEC claimed that the surgical waiting lists had been reduced from 38 000 to 24 000, so this progress has been reversed. I estimate the real waiting list for all 37 hospitals is probably about 40 000 as the budget cuts and staffing shortages have worsened the situation.' Bloom said while surgical blitzes can temporarily bring the number down, the DA is pushing for effective use of the R66 billion budget to permanently reduce the waiting lists. Health department denies backlog as crisis escalates Gauteng department of health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba conceded there were 34 528 patients recorded on surgical waiting lists at public hospitals in the province, but denied there is a backlog. 'The waiting lists includes patients across key specialties such as cataract, general surgery, paediatrics and others. However, it is important to differentiate between surgical backlogs and waiting lists. 'The waiting list is a dynamic figure as it fluctuates as and when new patients are registered on the waiting list and when surgeries are performed – it is therefore a moving target.' ALSO READ: Mother accuses Mpumalanga hospital of sabotage in medical negligence case Other hospitals with long waiting lists
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Protect your child against diseases with immunisation, says health department
Protect your child against diseases with immunisation, says health department Residents are urged by the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) to immunise their children as Tshwane records a 76.6% immunisation rate. The stat comes after the recent data from the department, which shows that 213 389 children under the age of one year were fully vaccinated during the 2024/25 financial year. This translates to 82.3% coverage, which falls short of the provincial target of 90%. Similarly, only 78.4% of children received their second dose of the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine, well below the 92% target. As mentioned, Tshwane's rate stands at 76.6%, the Sedibeng District recorded a 98% full immunisation under one year, and 96.1% MR second dose coverage. Provincial Health MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, said that protecting children from preventable diseases is part of upholding their right to health. 'Failing to complete a child's immunisation schedule is not just a medical oversight; it is a silent threat to their well-being and a subtle form of neglect. We must all recommit to protecting the rights of our children by ensuring they receive every scheduled vaccine on time because a healthy child is a protected child,' Nkomo-Ralehoko said. Immunisation is an intervention that protects children against life-threatening infectious diseases such as measles, rubella, polio, and hepatitis B. The GDoH said immunisation services are freely available at all public health facilities in Gauteng, but not enough children are completing their vaccination schedules, putting them at risk. The department has also identified poor adherence to follow-up appointments as one of the contributing factors to underperformance in certain districts. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to visit their nearest clinic or mobile outreach point to check their child's immunisation status and catch up on any missed vaccines. ALSO READ: Collect your June SASSA grants from tomorrow Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Gauteng Health gets R100m boost to fix hospital equipment and laundry services
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has welcomed the injection of much-needed financial resources to help it tackle the ongoing challenges posed by ageing machinery and critical equipment across hospitals, particularly in laundry services, which requires an overhaul. Currently, Bheki Mlangeni Hospital, which relies on laundry services from Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, has a backlog due to challenges with its machinery. In the meantime, Dunswart Laundries is assisting with the existing backlog to ensure that patient care is not compromised. ALSO READ: Gauteng Health adjusts tariffs for patients In response to these pressing concerns, the GDoH has been allocated R100 million by the National Department of Health for the 2025/26 financial year to support its recapitalisation programme, which aims to refurbish and replace outdated critical equipment and machinery in hospitals. Out of this amount, R50m is specifically set aside to address laundry machinery challenges across hospitals in the province. 'As part of this initiative, an assessment of the current equipment and machinery has been conducted to determine which machines require refurbishing and which ones need to be replaced. 'This evaluation will enable us to address the needs of facilities more effectively. To date, work has already commenced with the refurbishment of theatres at Carletonville and Bheki Mlangeni hospitals. 'This will be extended to all facilities in need,' explains Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. ALSO READ: Gauteng Health aims to oust ghost employees 'Due to the frequent breakdown of laundry machinery, the operational inefficiency in some hospitals is negatively affected, despite efforts to maintain and repair the machines. Already, the laundromat has processed laundry badges from Bheki Mlangeni Hospital, and some are queued to be processed overnight. Additionally, the hospital management is exploring options to outsource laundry services to address this issue further temporarily.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
29-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Gauteng health urges parents to take children for immunisation
Children are vaccinated according to the national Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) schedule, from birth to 12 years old. The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) is urging parents, caregivers, and communities to ensure children are fully immunised. It warned that failure to do so places young lives at risk and undermines their right to a healthy life. This call coincides with South Africa's observance of National Child Protection Week, from 29 May to 5 June 2025. The department on Thursday emphasised that protecting children from preventable diseases is a vital part of honouring their constitutional right to life, health, and dignity. Alarming drop in vaccination rates Despite immunisation services being freely available at all public health facilities in the province, coverage remains below target. According to departmental data, only 82.3% of children under the age of one were fully vaccinated in the 2024/25 financial year, short of the 90% target. The second dose of the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine recorded an even lower uptake at 78.4%, against the provincial goal of 92%. 'Failing to complete a child's immunisation schedule is not just a medical oversight, it is a silent threat to their well-being, and a subtle form of neglect,' said Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. ALSO READ: Spike in foodborne illness prompts Gauteng crackdown on non-compliant establishments, says health MEC Sedibeng district leading The department highlighted disparities in coverage across districts. Sedibeng is leading the way, achieving 98% full immunisation for children under one and 96.1% for the MR second dose. However, metropolitan districts such as Tshwane (76.6%), Ekurhuleni (78.6%), and Johannesburg (85%) continue to underperform. One of the contributing factors is poor adherence to follow-up vaccination appointments. The GDoH said it will strengthen public awareness on the importance of completing vaccination schedules and implement coordinated school holiday campaigns, working with Integrated School Health Programme (ISH) teams and outbreak response units. ALSO READ: Gauteng health warns of 'silent killer' 'Immunisation is a right, not a choice' Children are vaccinated according to the national Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) schedule, from birth to 12 years old. Each vaccine visit is recorded in the Road to Health Booklet, which parents must present at every clinic appointment. The department is also intensifying efforts to track children who missed routine vaccines, particularly in underserved areas, and will continue to offer outreach services to close these gaps. 'This Child Protection Week, we must all recommit to protecting the rights of our children by ensuring they receive every scheduled vaccine on time, because a healthy child is a protected child,' Nkomo-Ralehoko said. GDoH reminded parents that ensuring a child is fully immunised is not only a health responsibility, but also a moral and legal obligation under South Africa's child protection laws. NOW READ: Health minister defends nearly R10 million legal spend on NHI court battles
The Citizen
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Health services brought closer to young people
Vaal University of Technology (VUT) students received firsthand experience of essential health services during the Close the Gap Higher Education event by Girl Effect South Africa in collaboration with the Department of Health, South African National Aids Council, and Higher Health. The event on May 9 was graced by various guests, including the Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. The campaign encourages HIV testing and treatment, helping close the country's significant treatment gap. The activation is part of a national strategy to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, which aims to ensure that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those are on treatment, and 95% of those achieve viral suppression. According to statistics, youth account for a large proportion of the estimated 5.7 million South Africans living with HIV but not on antiretroviral therapy. The campaign focuses on improving access to youth-friendly healthcare on campuses and in communities. Girl Effect brings its experience in youth-centred communication, behaviour change, and media to help break down stigma and promote informed decision-making. Its focus is especially on adolescent girls and young women, who remain at higher risk of HIV infection and are often underserved by the health system. Through its flagship programme ' Jik'iZinto', Girl Effect connects young women with trans-formative health education and digital engagement. During the event, over 1 687 students accessed HIV counselling, testing, ART initiation and contraceptive services. Young people were educated on oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, a daily pill that significantly reduces the risk of contracting HIV. Young people were also encouraged to conduct screenings for STIs, TB, and chronic diseases. Students actively participated in youth dialogues and peer-to-peer health education. Country Director of Girl Effect South Africa Dr Lisa Mulenga says too often, young people face barriers that prevent them from seeking the healthcare they need. 'At Girl Effect, we work to remove those barriers by creating platforms where young people can access accurate information, engage with relatable content, and feel supported in making decisions about their health.' During the event, Nkomo-Ralehoko engaged with stakeholders, culminating in a pledge signing ceremony. The event demonstrated the health department's commitment to collaborative efforts in addressing health challenges and promoting meaningful partnerships. The VUT activation featured student-led dialogues, physical wellness activities, live performances, and keynote addresses from key decision-makers. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
