WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2007-08-14 Time: 00:00:00 Posted By: Jan
Submitted by Carla
The R16-million breast cancer clinic at Johannesburg’s Helen Joseph Hospital was opened with much fanfare but – 18 months later – its two hi-tech digital machines remain unused because nobody at the hospital knows how to use them.
This has caused a serious backlog in screening, with about 400 women on the waiting list.
The Star reported in December that the state-of-the-art equipment was gathering dust because staff didn’t know how to operate it.
As a result, more than 100 women, who may have had cancerous growths in their breasts, had to wait up to three months for a mammogram.
‘Early detection is crucial in the fight against the disease’
Then in March a public/private partnership helped to ease the backlog when it tested about 300 women in two days.
But the backlog continues to grow – and the reason remains the same – lack of staff.
The Cancer Association of South Africa’s head of communication, Martha Molete, has expressed concern over the delays. “Early detection is crucial in the fight against the disease,” she said.
At the beginning of 2006 the Gauteng Department of Health spent R16-million on creating a centre for breast cancer excellence, including the purchase of the two mammography machines at a reported cost of R2,3-million each.
According to a website for health professionals (http://www.medcompare.com),the machines have several advantages:
Better detection of cancerous growths near the skin and in dense breasts;
The ability to get the images in near real-time and to process them. This information, coupled with patient information such as risk analysis or other personal history data, can make for improved decision-making;
It has an electronic archive ability which reduces the risk of misplacing or damaging films and provides for immediate electronic transmission via the Internet for a second opinion.
Examinations take a fraction of the time compared with conventional, film-based mammograms, with a digitally displayed image available in about 10 seconds, compared with two minutes for a conventional film mammogram, which must then be developed.
According to a doctor at Helen Joseph Hospital, the system can also be used in conjunction with a specially designed diagnostic programme which assists doctors with making accurate findings.
The same doctor said that once staff were employed it would mean that instead of 15 women scanned a day, the number could double.
She confirmed that a staff shortage was the reason for the waiting list, but was hopeful that new staff expected to start soon would help eradicate the backlog.
“This is nothing new. There is a backlog because the patient numbers exceed the capabilities of the staff,” she said.
The staff member added that ordinary mammogram machines were being used in the meantime.
She explained that yearly screenings of patients who were on hormone replacement therapy also contributed to the backlog at the hospital.
“Those women who are found to have masses and who need treatment are seen to within a day or two,” she said.
The hospital’s executive officer, Gladys Bogoshi, said the backlog was caused by the recent public sector strike and staff shortages.
“There are two types of backlog. The first is when we determine that a person has breast cancer, and we tell them to come back in six months or a year to see if the growth is getting bigger.
“More than half the people on the waiting list are waiting to come (back), and there is nothing we can do about that.
“The second type of backlog is those who have already been screened. In March/April this year we tried to clear this backlog, but because of the (public service) strike, we have a lot of patients who could not be seen at the various clinics, so this has pushed up the backlog again.”
Bogoshi added that the hospital was currently on an aggressive drive to fill the vacant posts.
“We have advertised three posts for radiographers and two for specialists radiologists. We have already interviewed the radiologists and the human resources department should be informing the successful candidates soon.
“The interviews for the radiographers will be done next week or the week after, and we are hoping to also fill those posts.
“Once this is done, the facility will be fully operational,” she said.
Jack Bloom, the Democratic Alliance spokesperson for health in Gauteng, said he was disappointed about the new backlog.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20070813040323924C715283