Q: You are the founder of African Synergy Health. What prompted you to start the not-for-profit?
Surgical waiting lists are a reality in training to becoming a surgeon. As a training Urologist, the number of patients on elective surgical waiting lists were not just statistics for me, but actual patients that I have had to look in the eye and tell them that “I will not be able to operate on you Ma’am/Sir because we don’t have the required consumables or equipment, we have limited critical care resources or theatre time and thus we have to prioritise another critical patient”. In some instances, patients have passed on by the time we call to book them for their long awaited operation. These experiences compelled me to explore how I could be involved in providing a solution to helping some patients. African Synergy Health (ASH) was birthed after a long journey of exploring other possible solutions. Together with all the directors, ASH has a vision to achieve zero patients on elective surgical waiting lists initially in urology within public hospitals starting in South Africa with the intention to extend to other surgical disciplines and other countries in Africa.
Q: What is the Mandela surgical marathon?
The ASH Mandela Week Surgical Marathon is an initiative to perform Pro-Bono procedures on patients who are on surgical waiting lists in public hospitals. These procedures are performed utilising both public and private resource including theatres, hospital beds, equipment, consumables, Surgeons, Anaesthetists and nursing staff, all provided Pro-bono. The ASH Mandela Week Surgical Marathon is a growing movement demonstrating the power of synergy in collaborations. By collaborating with partners and sponsors, ASH is on a journey to realising the vision of zero patients on elective surgical waiting lists, to date 230 patients have been operated on during the ASH Mandela Week Surgical Marathons. ASH now has a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the NDOH. This MOU provides a framework for the scope of collaboration.
Q: This was your first year working at an Advanced Health Facility. What was your overall impression of our day hospital?
Clean hospital with friendly staff. Also, the commitment to providing advance healthcare is evident from admissions to discharged. I was particularly impressed with the theatre team who were very friendly and efficient. On July 5th, 2024, our first day of the ASH Mandela Week Surgical Marathon 2024, we managed to complete 7 operations in 2,5 hours.
Q: As a doctor, you care for your patients. What is your opinion about their experience in a day hospital?
Great, very efficient theatre team that works well with the ward team.
Q: What was your favourite part of working at and with Advanced Health?
Close proximity of admissions, wards and theatres. The management team were also very efficient, all the logistics required to perform the procedures including the required consumables and equipment were available.
On behalf of ASH, I would like to thank Advance Health Groenkloof for being part of the ASH Mandela Week Surgical Marathon 2024, you have made a huge difference to the 14 patients that were operated on at Advanced Health Groenkloof. We look forward to a long and healthy collaboration in the coming ASH Mandela Week Surgical Marathons. – Dr Viola Morolo
