Mediclinic Midstream gives the gift of hope this Christmas

Posted on 2 January 2019

In the spirit of giving over the festive season, Mediclinic Midstream spread the joy by partnering with the public health sector to change the lives of those in the community.

In the spirit of giving hope over the festive season, Mediclinic Midstream gave three young patients pro bono cleft repair surgeries, just a few days before Christmas Day. A further seven patients will undergo surgery in the coming weeks, as part of a collaboration between Mediclinic and the provincial health department.

Over the past two years, more than 150 patients have received life-changing and sometimes life-saving surgery as part of a collaboration between Mediclinic and a number of provincial health departments – and this is the first time the partnership has extended to Gauteng. Patients are identified by the partnering public health facility, and examined and are operated on in a Mediclinic hospital by the attending private sector doctor.

Through this process, Mediclinic can actively contribute towards relieving the backlog for procedures being experienced in that region.

Pro bono cleft repair surgeries

Cleft repair surgery is about more than just repairing external features. This surgery can change a child’s life, says Dr Sharan Naidoo, a maxillofacial and oral surgeon at Mediclinic Midstream. “I am passionate about giving opportunities to these families where they have had to wait for surgery for their children. There is huge pressure on state facilities, and our partnership will allow a measure of relief for the state waiting lists for this procedure.”

Dr Sharan Naidoo, a maxillofacial and oral surgeon, prepping one of the patients in theatre at Mediclinic Midstream.

Dr Naidoo performed the three surgeries on a pro bono basis, together with anaesthetists Dr Janré Smit, Dr Aysha Osman and Dr Johannes Vlok, and two paediatricians, Dr Faye Morar and Dr Hasina Ebrahim.

Mediclinic Midstream is committed to making a difference in the lives of their patients, says Hospital General Manager Dr Shane Kotze. “These ten cleft repair surgeries will not only change the lives of the ten patients but also the families of those patients,” he says. “This is where we see our reward. Everyone here at Mediclinic Midstream has been keen to assist and we are excited to join the Mediclinic family in this collaborative partnership with local government.”

Second-from-left: Bob Govender, Industry Affairs Executive: Mediclinic Southern Africa; second-from-right: Gwen Ramokgopa, MEC Gauteng Department of Health

Dr Kotze’s excitement – and that of his colleagues in the public sector – is what drives Mediclinic’s partnership with provincial health departments to be a success, says Bob Govender, Industry Affairs Executive: Mediclinic Southern Africa.

“The response from our public sector partners has been overwhelming, with many of our Mediclinic facilities planning additional rounds of surgery. We are actively investigating how the additional capacity we have available can support the care the public sector is already delivering to their patients. It is important that we are producing effective outcomes in areas where they have the greatest demand.”

The initiative shown by specialists at Mediclinic Midstream is greatly appreciated by provincial government stakeholders, says Gwen Ramokgopa, MEC Gauteng Department of Health, who strongly supports the concept of shared capacity. “With the backlog, we have for non-emergency surgery, opportunities to assist our patients with the help of the private sector are welcome. It is essential that members across the healthcare industry find solutions together for the challenges we are all facing – by doing this we can develop the best outcomes for both our patients as well as the healthcare sector itself.”

Gwen Ramokgopa visiting one of the patients.