Africa-Press – Eswatini. About 400 patients had to bear the pain without seeing an orthopaedist as government had none to perform surgeries.
The 400 are currently on government’s waiting list for the bone specialists to perform surgeries on them. However, government is convinced that all 400 patients will be operated on in the next coming weeks, following efforts to secure specialists. This was said by the Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi, through a press statement released yesterday. This comes after months of anxiety and pain among the patients, some of whom had been admitted for over two months to the Mbabane Government Hospital, without undergoing surgeries.
Surgeries
The minister said the mass surgeries on patients with bone fractures and other conditions were under a model themed ‘Orthopaedic Camp’ that would be conducted periodically in weekly cycles. As of yesterday afternoon, when this publication visited the hospital, over 10 patients had undergone successful surgeries, bringing the total number of surgeries done to over 25 as of Monday. Nkosi added that the ‘Orthopaedic Camp’ was strictly for patients who had already been seen by doctors and were listed to await surgical operations. This process, as reported by this publication, began on Monday and will continue until August 12, 2023, which is this coming Saturday.
Nkosi further said during the first day of the surgeries, a total of 16 patients were operated on, which were nine males, three females and four children. She said the weekly target will be 80 patients until all the listed 400 patients on the waiting list were all covered. “However, there will be time in between the weekly cycles to enable resource mobilisation and programme improvements. Patients awaiting bone surgical operations are advised to keep their communication lines open, as they will be contacted about their operation dates. Patients are requested not to come to Mbabane Government Hospital until they are contacted,” she said. Nkosi added that the ‘Orthopaedic Camp’ had been made possible by orthopaedic surgeons, who were sourced from the private sector, Taiwan and Cuba, including experienced medical officers, nurses, anaesthetists and other healthcare workers, who were mobilised from other health facilities to assist.
Appreciated
The minister further appreciated the pro-active efforts of the hospital’s management and their teams in ensuring that the backlog of orthopaedic patients in need of surgery was attended to.
“The ministry would like to appreciate the pro-active efforts of the hospital management and their teams in ensuring that the backlog of orthopaedic patients is attended to. The ministry remains committed to improving the health and functionality of all emaSwati,” read the statement. Meanwhile, most of the patients found at the Mbabane Government Hospital’s orthopaedic ward heaped praises on the ministry in the manner in which the surgeries were conducted.
However, there were concerns from some of the patients who have been waiting in line, as they alleged there were some patients who skipped the queue for going to theatre. Preferring to remain anonymous, one patient said: “This is unfair as some of the patients who found us at the hospital were assisted first compared to us who’ve been here longer.” However, this question was clarified by sources within the medical institution, who said there were some patients who were on the list but not admitted to the hospital, hence the confusion from some of the recently admitted patients, who also needed surgery. Wise Mdluli (26), who was diagnosed with cancer, said he was ecstatic that his operation was due today. He said his leg started swelling after he was injured in a soccer match in 2017 and was later diagnosed with cancer.
Operation
“I cannot wait to undergo the operation as I have been living with this swollen leg since I was diagnosed with cancer. I have suffered enough with this leg and I hope my surgery will go well tomorrow (today), thanks to the hospital for fast-tracking the surgeries, which were overdue,” he said. One of three survivors of the gruesome accident which occurred at Gobholo on May 4, 2021, where over 10 people lost their lives, also thanked the hospital’s medical personnel for finally helping with his operation. During the accident, he fractured his bones, which resulted in doctors treating and inserting a surgical implant inside his lower part of the body to replace his biological tissue until he recovered. “Before being operated on, I was turned back twice as the first time it happened was in August last year, as well as last month, until I was called again. I would like to thank the hospital staff for the work they have done following that the surgical implant was reacting negatively inside my body and has now been corrected,” he said.
Jabulani Siwela (49) from Nyonyane in Pigg’s Peak, expressed joy that he would finally go back home after being admitted for two weeks to the hospital. Siwela said the situation had changed compared to what he found when admitted as he had to purchase his own gauze bandages, including his own cannula, which is commonly referred to as a ‘drip’. “The situation is now much better given that I haven’t had to spend a cent for my medication because the hospital is now able to provide. After theatre, I was injected and advised to stay while being monitored but I hope by tomorrow (today) I will be discharged,” he added.
Thanked
Siwela thanked the hospital’s administration, including the nurses and doctors, who were on the ground helping them to recuperate. Another patient who preferred anonymity said; “The service I got ever since I was admitted has been top notch, especially from the nurses and doctors. However, in my perspective; the hospital’s administration can do better in capacitating the support staff with a clinical knowledge on how to properly take care of sickly patients.” Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) Secretary General Mayibongwe Masangane commended government’s quest in trying to help the patients who were in desperate need of surgery. He expressed hope that government, the health ministry in particular, would learn from its mistakes and do better, so that a similar crisis could be averted in future.
In response to the over 25 surgeries which were successfully completed between Monday and Tuesday, Masangane said: “This goes to show that these were mostly minor surgeries given the number of people who were successfully operated on in a space of two days. Government could have averted this if the right working tools were provided in all other major hospitals like Mankayane and Hlatikhulu Government hospitals.” He highlighted that if the right working tools were availed at all the country’s hospitals, there wouldn’t have been a need for orthopaedic specialists but instead, normal doctors would have been able to help the patients with normal surgeries.
Hired
About four orthopaedic surgeons were hired by the Ministry of Health to counter the long list of 400 patients in need of surgery. Director of Health Services in the ministry, Dr Velephi Okello, said the specialists were hired in the interim. This was after about 15 patients complained about the waiting list at the orthopaedic theatre, where they showed their frustration by blocking the hospital’s main gate. The patients were wheeled to the gate on their hospital beds while others used crutches. They complained about the serious shortage of medication, stating that this placed their lives at risk and that they were tired of the continuous empty promises by government. Through a statement released yesterday by Minister Nkosi regarding the drugs shortage, which was experienced countrywide; she emphasised that additional drugs and supplies were still being mobilised and added, that an expedited procurement process had been pursued to enable the camp to continue.
Source: TIMES
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