URGENT COMPLAINT – ONE FUNCTIONING C-SECTION THEATRE

To: Steve Biko Academic Hospital Management

I would like to formally complain about the current situation in the Labour Theatre at Steve Biko Academic Hospital.

I am currently admitted at the hospital waiting for my C-section, but there is only one functioning theatre for Caesarean sections instead of two. This has caused significant delays for patients who are waiting for their procedures.

My concern is not that the hospital has emergencies. We all understand that Steve Biko is a major hospital and that emergencies are expected, especially in the maternity and labour department. That is exactly why I am asking why there is only one functioning C-section theatre available.

Hospital management knows that there will be emergencies and that pregnant women will require emergency and planned Caesarean sections. There should therefore be proper planning and sufficient functioning theatre capacity to deal with these patients.

It is extremely stressful for patients to be admitted, prepared and left waiting because there is only one theatre available. We should not have to suffer the consequences of a lack of adequate theatre capacity when the hospital already knows the number and seriousness of cases it deals with.

I would like Hospital Management to explain:

- Why is there only one functioning C-section theatre? - Why is the second theatre not operational? - How long has the second theatre been unavailable? - What is being done to resolve the situation urgently? - How are planned C-sections being managed while only one theatre is available? - What measures are being put in place to ensure that patients are not left waiting unnecessarily?

I am asking that this matter be taken seriously and escalated to the relevant senior management and the Gauteng Department of Health.

Patients should not be expected to simply accept long delays because there is only one functioning theatre at a major hospital that already knows it has to deal with emergencies.

I would like a clear response from management regarding why this situation is happening and what is being done about it.