The North West Department of Health MEC is beaming with pride following a successful cardiac operation on a 21 years old patient treated at Job Shimankane Tabane (JST) hospital in Rustenburg. The patient was successfully treated for congenital cardiac condition called Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) using a percutaneous technique in the catheterisation lab for closure of the defect

Atrial Septal Defect is a hole between two chambers of the heart causing the mixing of blood, if not closed in time it can cause serious complications in the future. “Traditionally this kind of operation is fixed through an open heart procedure however due to technological advancement in catheterisation techniques allows it to be done in a cath lab as a day procedure with no open surgery needed. This collaborative effort between the JST and Life Peglarae medical teams truly augurs well as we look to the future with the National Health Insurance (NHI)” said MEC Madoda Sambatha The procedure was done in the Cath Lab of Life Peglarae Hospital in Rustenburg jointly with the JST medical team. “I would like to congratulate the team of Cardiologists that carried out this procedure Dr. Mogwera, Dr. Msiza, and Dr. Raphala along with Dr. Pege. The Anaesthetist, Cardiac Technologists, Radiographers and Nurses. This is the first of its kind in the public sector in the Province and it is indeed a model of NHI in action” concluded Sambatha

Enquiries: Tebogo Lekgethwane Department Spokesperson 0674227763 tlekgethwane@nwpg.gov.za Khuthala Tshangela MLO MEC Support 0664586915 Issued by North West Department of Health END