Nelson Mandela Central Hospital, which services millions of people in OR Tambo district and its surrounds, is soon to have its own cardiologist.
Director of clinical governance at the hospital Dr Mpumzi Mdledle said while the hospital had always had physicians with a special interest in cardiology, Dr Khulile Moeketsi, who specialised in the field at Groote Schuur Hospital, would join the hospital in January.
Mdledle said Moeketsi started out as a physician, then specialised in internal medicine, and went on to specialise in cardiology.
Mdledle said the hospital had been without a cardiologist and a cardiology unit since it was officially opened by the then-president Thabo Mbeki in 2004.
“Through the hospital’s commitment to rendering quality care services it managed to recruit specialists in internal medicine who have been rendering semi-cardiology services as would assess, diagnose and refer patients who needed specialised cardiology services to Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.”
He said although the arrangement with the KwaZulu-Natal hospital worked, it was not ideal. On average 15-20 patients a month were transported there.
He said Nelson Mandela Central Hospital was the sole provider of specialist healthcare services in the entire OR Tambo district and parts of Joe Gqabi, Amathole and Chris Hani sub-districts, and serviced a population of about 3.2 million.
The hospital was developing a cardiac catheterisation laboratory, where most “interventional procedures” would be done.
“Nurses with expertise in the use of this facility will be hired and local nurses trained; cardiac technologists will be hired as well as more nurses who are ICU-trained.”
Physicians with an interest in training in cardiology would be hired once the facility was accredited by the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
“Cardiac surgeons will be hired to operate on the patients who have been worked up for cardiac surgery by the new cardiologist.”
Hospital CEO Nomalanga Makwedini said she was impressed by Moeketsi’s achievements and his arrival would have a positive impact on patients. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
Cardio specialist for ORT hospital
Director of clinical governance at the hospital Dr Mpumzi Mdledle said while the hospital had always had physicians with a special interest in cardiology, Dr Khulile Moeketsi, who specialised in the field at Groote Schuur Hospital, would join the hospital in January.
Mdledle said Moeketsi started out as a physician, then specialised in internal medicine, and went on to specialise in cardiology.
Mdledle said the hospital had been without a cardiologist and a cardiology unit since it was officially opened by the then-president Thabo Mbeki in 2004.
“Through the hospital’s commitment to rendering quality care services it managed to recruit specialists in internal medicine who have been rendering semi-cardiology services as would assess, diagnose and refer patients who needed specialised cardiology services to Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.”
He said although the arrangement with the KwaZulu-Natal hospital worked, it was not ideal. On average 15-20 patients a month were transported there.
He said Nelson Mandela Central Hospital was the sole provider of specialist healthcare services in the entire OR Tambo district and parts of Joe Gqabi, Amathole and Chris Hani sub-districts, and serviced a population of about 3.2 million.
The hospital was developing a cardiac catheterisation laboratory, where most “interventional procedures” would be done.
“Nurses with expertise in the use of this facility will be hired and local nurses trained; cardiac technologists will be hired as well as more nurses who are ICU-trained.”
Physicians with an interest in training in cardiology would be hired once the facility was accredited by the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
“Cardiac surgeons will be hired to operate on the patients who have been worked up for cardiac surgery by the new cardiologist.”
Hospital CEO Nomalanga Makwedini said she was impressed by Moeketsi’s achievements and his arrival would have a positive impact on patients. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
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