Mandela Day Surgery Project aims to change lives

A MANDELA Day Surgery Project will see 250 patients undergoing cataract removals, orthopaedic surgery, and hip and knee replacements at provincial hospitals.

Patients can wait between three to five years for their operations, as they are graded in terms of their severity, extent of the pain, and whether they actively contribute to the economy.

Now in its third year, the project is expected to improve the lives of 250 patients by allowing for additional patients to be operated on.

Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said: “This project is a good example of how innovative thinking and private partners can work together towards better health outcomes for the people of the Western Cape.”

Since its inception in 2017, the project has brought life-changing experiences to 262 vulnerable people.

Cataracts develop with age and can be associated with certain medical conditions. The result of the cataract is decreasing vision, until the patient is completely blind.

Through a simple operation of removing the cataract and replacing the lens, patients are able to have completely normal vision. After the surgery, people become self-sufficient again, able to care for themselves, their loved ones and earn a living.

Joint replacements give people renewed mobility, independence, and pain-free living. Each procedure impacts the patient directly but also has a massive indirect impact on the friends, family and colleagues of that individual.

It is important to stress that these procedures are relatively simple but all are life-changing.

Sponsors and donors who want to get involved in the project can contact Shanaaz Dove at 021 404 2002. Companies will receive certificates for tax purposes.