By OBAKENG MAJE 

A collaborative partnership between the North West and Gauteng provincial Department of Health has led to the successful performing of the first-ever open heart surgery at a provincial referral hospital in the North West. Klerksdorp Tshepong Hospital Complex, supported by the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH), achieved a historical milestone on 24 May 2024.

The North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha said a patient, Martha Vanstawel (38), who was operated on, has been known to the Gauteng Cardiac Services since 2006. Sambatha further said she suffered from mitral regurgitation (a leaking valve) with a submitral aneurysm (abnormal swelling of the heart). 

“Surgery was recommended as far back as 2006, but she declined as she was not emotionally ready. A decade later the patient agreed to have the surgery. The discussions to start cardiac services at the Klerksdorp-Tshepong Hospital Complex date back to 2010, with structural planning beginning a decade later. 

“Heart operations, by their very nature, require enormous capital investments, manpower, and infrastructure. As such, this feat could only be achieved by careful planning and execution,” he said.

Sambatha added that the Klerksdorp-Tshepong Hospital Complex dedicated itself to achieving all the necessary requirements by renovating its theatres during the COVID-19 pandemic and acquiring the necessary equipment. He said at the same time, various plenary meetings were held between the two hospitals to prepare for the now successful surgery.

“The hospital management, cardiothoracic surgeons, anesthetists, perfusionists and theatre-trained nurses supported by physicians, cardiologists and the clinical engineering team supported these efforts equally on both sides which led to the culmination of this historic achievement.

“The patient has already been extubated. She is doing well in the intensive care unit and is in high spirits. This demonstrates that the intensive care unit at Klerksdorp-Tshepong Hospital Complex is equally suited to managing complex cases,” said Sambatha. 

The Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said: “The collaboration has paved the way for enhanced healthcare delivery, ensuring that specialised services are accessible to all citizens in need of critical care regardless of their province of origin.

“This initiative exemplifies the transformation of health services in South Africa, focusing on access and equity to healthcare. By bringing such advanced medical care to the North West, we ensure that patients receive the necessary treatment without the added burden of traveling long distances, thereby reducing both financial and emotional strain on them and their families.” 

Meanwhile, Vanstawel said she is grateful for the care and treatment she received so far. She said she is also thankful that the operation was done here at home, where her family can easily come to see her. 

“Thank you to all the doctors and nurses, and everyone who made this operation a success. This was a clear demonstration that with the right mindset and resources, any government hospital could perform the surgeries that have often been viewed as surgeries performed only in tertiary university hospitals,” said Vanstawel.

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