Gift of the Givers Contributes R5 Million to Cut Back Surgical Backlog at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town

Gift of the Givers has contributed about R5 million to Groote Schuur Hospital to cut back on the surgical backlog of more than 6,000 cases.

The announcement was made on Tuesday at the hospital which has partnered with Gift of the Givers. 

New surgical head Dr Lydia Cairncross will supervise the “catch up” of 1,500 backlogged surgical procedures of various medical conditions delayed by COVID-19.  

“Now that we are coming hopefully into a post-COVID or inter-COVID phase, we need to find a way to recover. Our health system is at full cover, its bursting at the seams. There is no space to address a backlog.”

Gift of the Givers Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman said the management team at the Groote Schuur needed support.

“When the doctors are exhausted or coordinating, who else is going to see new cases, nobody’s got extra time. But to come and say we still want to do more, you want to take away a burden which was a burden before COVID.”

Gift of the Givers has been making major interventions in the health sector including supporting 210 hospitals nationwide during COVID-19 providing vital equipment and support. 

The NGO said the Freesia Ward in Mitchell’s Plain in the Western Cape received a R10 million upgrade and they are still waiting for written confirmation from the provinces health department to begin upgrades at Eerste River Hospital. 

Gift of the Givers has also commenced support for cataract catch up surgery at Eerste River Hospital and will continue for the rest of 2022.