By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit:Veli Nhlapo.
The Bheki Mlangeni District Hospital in Soweto performed its first ever heart surgery on a Grade 12 student who was stabbed on Freedom day, 27 April 2023.
The patient, Tumisang Motsikwa was stabbed while trying to assist a pupil after a mugging.
On arrival at the hospital, he was found to be in a critical and unstable condition.
Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, who visited the hospital on Sunday, said his blood pressure was very low and he was bleeding from the chest when he arrived at the facility.
The head of Accident and Emergency at the hospital, Dr Sashriqua Palliam, and her team of nurses and doctors, including Dr Ismail Ebrahim, immediately resuscitated him.
Due to his condition, he could not be transferred to Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.
“This then prompted the BMDH team to operate on him as an emergency. The median sternotomy operation lasted for just over an hour, removing blood clots and suturing the heart muscle.
“Tumisang was kept in the ICU for three days and then released to the surgical ward before finally being discharged home on Friday. I commend the Bheki Mlangeni team for the sterling work they did and for rising to the occasion,” Nkomo-Ralehoko added.
The MEC believes there are signs that the tide is turning in the public health sector, when it comes to reclaiming what used to be regarded as the jewel of health services in the country.
She also had praise for Sebokeng Regional Hospital, Mamelodi Regional Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital.