The Gauteng Department of Health has refuted the Democratic Alliance's (DA) claims that a patient permanently lost sight in his right eye due to a delay in a vision-saving operation at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital Eye Clinic (SBAH) in Tshwane.
These statements were made by the DA in a media release on Monday, August 3rd. The DA alleged that the delay was caused by a breakdown of the compressor and suction systems required for the Constellation machine, which had not been replaced.
The DA's representative for health in Gauteng, Madeleine Hicklin, stated that the party urges the Gauteng Health Minister, Faith Mazibuko, and the department head, Dr. Darian Barkley, to intervene urgently. The goal of the intervention should be the immediate procurement of the necessary equipment, the restoration of retinal surgery services at SBAH, and the prevention of further irreversible vision loss in patients.
Hicklin reported that the patient, who had suffered from a retinal detachment in his right eye since February, brought the suspension of retinal surgery at the Steve Biko Eye Clinic to the party's attention. He noted that despite numerous consultations at the Steve Biko and Mahomedali Eye Clinics, he had not received the necessary urgent operation. The procedure was recently performed at the Mahomedali Eye Clinic only as an attempt to save his left eye, after which he was referred to Steve Biko.
According to Hicklin, the patient informed the party that he is one of the 'countless patients' affected by prolonged delays in repairing retinal surgery equipment at the Steve Biko Eye Clinic. Another patient confirmed this, stating that during a follow-up examination, the clinic informed him that retinal operations were not being performed due to an unresolved compressor issue.
The party also stated that a reliable source informed them that specialists had even gathered 10,000 rand to buy a replacement compressor and resume retinal surgeries. However, it is reported that hospital management rejected this proposal, insisting that the procurement must comply with the Gauteng Department of Health's supply chain management processes. Hicklin added that a WhatsApp message confirms the frustration of specialists who believe that unnecessary procurement delays hindered the resumption of operations and put patients at risk. This contradicts previous assurances from hospital management that the situation was under control and there were no waiting lists for operations.
Nevertheless, in a statement dated Tuesday, August 4th, the Gauteng Department of Health rejected these claims, calling them 'factually incorrect.' A Department representative, Steve Mabona, stated that they sympathize with the patient and acknowledge the stress associated with vision deterioration or loss. He emphasized that such sensitive issues must be discussed responsibly and based on verified clinical information, not on assumptions that could unnecessarily worry patients and undermine trust in public healthcare services.
Mabona clarified that the patient faced medical problems resulting from several previous surgical interventions. Specialists at another hospital within the SBAH cluster assessed the patient's condition and performed surgery on the eye that had a better chance of retaining vision. According to Mabona, the patient was informed during the consultation process that the prognosis for the other eye was already poor, and the operation was unlikely to restore vision. Therefore, in his view, it is incorrect and misleading to attribute irreversible vision loss solely to the hospital's equipment and infrastructure problems.
Mabona admitted that the Department is aware of procurement delays related to infrastructural issues affecting service delivery. He reported that the procurement processes for the necessary equipment are at an advanced stage, and equipment delivery is expected soon to alleviate the situation. He specifically noted, however, that the patient's medical documentation does not support the claim that infrastructural problems contributed significantly to the blindness. Presenting these problems as the direct cause of irreversible blindness ignores the documented medical history and creates a distorted picture of the circumstances.
