Why won't Gauteng Health MEC give surgery waiting times for Steke Biko Hospital?

7 June 2018

Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa has refused to provide details on surgery waiting times for patients at the Steve Biko Hospital, which raises suspicions about what she is trying to hide.

In a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature, she says that the total number of patients waiting for surgery at this hospital is “variable periodically due to ongoing service” and gives the same vague answer for how long they would wait for surgery.

She does, however, say that 12 months is the longest that any patient would have to wait for an operation.

Furthermore, the following reasons are given for long waiting lists:

- Increase in demand for care (patient numbers);

- Limited ICU Beds;

- Theatre Time utilization; and

- To a lesser extent limited nursing staff.

I am disappointed that Ramokgopa is yet again refusing to give actual figures for surgery waiting lists. Previously, she has given the same vague answer for surgery lists at the Chris Hani Baragwanath and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg hospitals.

Earlier this week the Human Rights Commission visited Steve Biko Hospital to check on dire reports about long waiting times for cancer patients.

Ramokgopa is repeating the bad habit of former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu who similarly ducked questions in the Legislature, most notoriously concerning the Life Esidimeni tragedy.

It is her constitutional duty to provide accurate information to the Legislature, as Justice Dikgang Moseneke pointed out at the Esidimeni arbitration hearings.

The general public need to know the real state of health care at our public hospitals and what is being done to fix the manifold problems that patients experience.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 7 June 2018