An EFF Member of the National Assembly, Sophie Thembekwayo, asked the Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla, to give the number of backlogs on surgeries per province and the steps each province will take to deal with the backlogs. By the time of the reply, there were over 1 900 backlogs in the Free State, whereas there were over 5 500 backlogs in the North West. By the time the Minister supplied the answers to the Assembly, the Northern Cape Health Department had not replied with its number of backlogs.

The hospitals that have backlogs under the Free State Department of Health are the Universitas Hospital, the Pelonomi Hospital, as well as Dihlabeng and Bongani Hospitals. The steps that the reply shows will be taken include monthly monitoring of waiting time; marathons arranged if the department notices a backlog; patient education to ensure patients show up for appointments; a team on call for emergency theatres; sometimes using theatres at private hospitals; recruitment of additional staff; an increase of theatre time; prioritising according to the severity or quality of life; conducting surgical blitz weeks; and outreaches to district hospitals.

Hospitals in the North West province that experience backlogs, include the Klerksdorp/Tshepong Hospital, the Job Shimankana Tabane, the Mafikeng Provincial, the Joe Morolong Memorial, and the Potchefstroom Hospital. The necessary steps that have been taken by the provincial department of health are the implementation of surgical blitz weeks; providing theatre services during the weekends and extended hours to reduce backlogs; utilisation of all available theatres to improve efficiency; and public/private partnerships where it is feasible.

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The reply further shows that the province with the most backlogs, the Western Cape with 77 139, has taken only one step to deal with the backlogs, which is operations have increased by dedicated budget increase and efficiency gains. Some of the hospitals in the province that has a backlog are Alan Blyth Hospital Beaufort West; Mitchells Plain; Mossel Bay; New Somerset; Oudtshoorn; Paarl; Prince Albert; Red Cross War Memorial Children; Riversdale; Robertson; Stellenbosch; Swartland; Swellendam; Tygerburg; Victoria; Vredenburg; Vredendal; Wesfleur; and Worcester.

The Eastern Cape did not indicate any steps that have been written in their reply. The hospitals in the province that have contributed to its 5 373 backlogs, include the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital; Livingstone Hospital; Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital; Frere Hospital; Cecilia Makiwane Hospital; Dora Nginza Hospital; and the Frontier Hospital.

The Minister’s reply shows that Mpumalanga province has the lowest backlogs in the country, which are 190. Hospitals include Rob Ferreira; Witbank; Mapulaneng; Themba; and Ermelo. The steps that have been taken include that hospitals have rescheduled all non-emergency operations; the suspension of operating non-emergency cases was lifted, and operations are back to normal. The shortage of specialists, however, also contribute to the backlog; and the tertiary hospitals conduct outreach services where minor orthopaedic operations in the district hospitals are performed.

The Limpopo province is sitting at 4 229, contributed by Letaba; Mokopane; Philadelphia; St Ritas; Tshilidzini; Mankweng; and Pietersburg. Some of the steps include district outreach surgical teams that provide services once a week (per quarter) and spent time in a district conducting various surgeries utilising all hospitals (Rural Health Matters campaign); and a team of volunteers (orthopaedics and anaesthetics) from other provinces form part of the outreach teams.

Although KwaZulu-Natal did not give the amount of backlogs, they have stated some of the hospitals that have backlogs are Madadeni Hospital; King Edward Hospital; RK Khan Hospital; IALCH; Ngwelezana Hospital; Port Shepstone Regional; Murchison Hospital; and GJ Crookes Hospital. The steps they have been taken, include increasing theatre times; elective slates done over the weekend to catch up; camps have also been planned; extended working hours to reduce backlog; elective theatre slates even run after hours; electives commenced in 2021; and emergencies are given priority.

Gauteng, with 13 433 backlogs, includes hospitals such as the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital; Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital; Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital; and the Steve Biko Academic Hospital. Some of the steps they have taken include contractors sourced to repair and maintain tunnel washers; purchasing disposable linen to compensate for the shortfalls; an electronic theatre booking system; a contractor appointed for repair, and maintained autoclaves.

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