Hear, Hear! Doctors ready for ear repair ops at MediClinic

FIVE children and five adults that have been on public hospital waiting lists for eardrum repair surgery will have the procedures done by doctors at the Vergelegen MediClinic

The procedures are part of the hospital’s collaboration with Groote Schuur Hospital and aims to relieve the pressure on the waiting list at public facilities.

The chief human resources officer of Mediclinic Southern Africa, Greg van Wyk, said role players in health care need to work together to expand access to quality health care for all South Africans.

“It is imperative for all players in health care to play their part, private and public alike. Mediclinic is proud to add value to improve the lives of South Africans through our commitment to work alongside our colleagues from the public sector.”

He said the MediClinic chain was glad to be able to share the expertise of the doctors associated with their hospitals.

“It must remain a priority for everyone in the health care sector to find South African solutions to our health care challenges – together and without compromise to affordable, sustainable and quality health care.”

The 10 tympanoplasty procedures will be performed by ear, nose and throat specialists from MediClinic and the public sector.

Van Wyk said the surgery will reconstruct the eardrum or the small bones of the middle ear. Eardrum perforation may result from chronic infection or, less commonly, from trauma to the eardrum and when successful is life changing by restoring a patient’s hearing and saving them from living in a partial or totally silent world.

Chief executive of Groote Schuur Bhavna Patel expressed her thanks to the hospital chain. “We enjoy having Mediclinic as a leading private hospital group on board, collaborating for the greater health care benefit of all South Africans. We as the public and private sectors need to take hands and work together to lighten the load and rise to the health care challenges our country faces.”

The surgeries will be done at the newly renovated Vergelegen MediClinic and general manager Marquin Crotz said he was excited that his branch was part of the cause. “The partnership is not just about performing surgical procedures on patients, but we are strengthening our working relationship with the public hospitals by close collaboration and adding value together. We all have to play our part for our country to benefit.”