Limpopo’s Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba has been leading a team of specialists and sub-specialist doctors to clear the backlog of patients at the Pietersburg Hospital in Polokwane.
The initiative is being held under the Rural Health Matters Outreach Programme and is aimed at complex surgical urogynaecology, urology as well as to transfer skills to the clinicians in the province. Ramathuba says she is grateful that the initiative has brought in new technologies which are fast in performing complicated surgeries.
“Women are the biggest beneficiary of these procedures. There are women who couldn’t even laugh, one of the patients we saw, said she ended up staying at home not going outside, because people thought that she is unhygienic because she is always smelling of urine. From today, she said that she will be going to church and she will be starting songs in church,” said the province’s Health MEC.
Ramathuba adds that this initiative assists in drawing every medical skill that is needed by the province and she says Limpopo will never be the same again.
Dr Dakalo Muavha, a gynaecologist participating in the initiative, says with the help of both local and international specialists, the surgical urogyneacology and urology backlog could be slashed by more than half. He says they aim to complete nearly 40 procedures over the next few days.
“For these four days when Prof Kruger is here, we are going to operate on 26 patients. Up to now we have operated on around 10 patients already. So this initiative is really giving us an opportunity to be able to help a lot of women.”
South African-born Canadian doctor, Professor Peter Kruger, commends the work that has been done by Dr Muavha in the province and says he felt the need to help with manpower and impartation of skills.
“It’s amazing to see what Dr Muavha has done and the changes he brought to the province. I taught a bit of microscopic surgery and this is every common problem in Limpopo but we are learning from each other and helping the people of Limpopo.”
MEC Ramathuba says the initiative will bring dignity to patients in the province- particularly the women- who have been suffering from bladder and uterus relapse cases.
