This was revealed during the DA in the Free State’s oversight visit to the hospital today. 

According to the CEO of the Hospital, Baesi Ramodula, they have decided to move some orthopaedic patients and surgeons to the Botshabelo District Hospital and Albert Nzula Hospital in Trompsburg so that they can perform operations because these hospitals don’t have the medical personnel to perform these operations, but they do have available theatres - something Pelonomi does not. 

Ramodula confirmed there are five orthopaedic specialists at this hospital, but not all of them were hired by Pelonomi, some of them are from Universitas Academic Hospital. Her response comes after DA MPL, Mariëtte Pittaway, said she received numerous complaints from orthopaedic patients who have to wait to have operations done due to the lack of facilities at the hospital.

There are five theatres at Pelonomi. Of those five Ramodula says one is dedicated solely to the use of the Maternity section. Head of Nursing at the Hospital, Martha Molefe, says the hospital delivers 350 babies on a monthly basis.

While visiting the orthopaedic Ward patients were found sitting on chairs - some for more than a week - waiting for beds. Free State DA Leader, Patricia Kopane, criticised this, with Pittaway raising her concerns about the lack of operating theatres, resulting in long waiting times for operations at this ward.

PHOTO: Olebogeng Motse

Ramodula says they are working on improving conditions at the hospital's maternity and orthopaedic wards. This, after it was found that there were patients without beds who were sleeping on chairs for weeks in the orthopaedic wards. Patients in the maternity wards, on the other hand, said long queues and delayed responses are still the norm at this hospital despite the additional eight professional nurses that are said to have resumed duty last week. 

Ramodula says they are aware of these challenges and are working on redressing them.

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