On May 2, Phindile Matihakoane, (39) safely delivered triplets proving the facility’s capacity to provide specialised, high care services in a rural setting.

Triplet pregnancies are rare, classified high risk multiple gestations, and are frequently associated with preterm delivery between nd 34 weeks of gestation. Such cases typically require advanced maternal and neona intensive care.

The first infant was born at deliveries at 07:40 with a birth weight of 2,470 g, the second at 07:42 weighing 2,530 and the third at 07:44 with a birth weight of 1,790 g.

READ | Province welcomes Christmas babies

The Department of Health commended the staff for ensuring safety stating the infants are receiving postnatal care. The mother, now a parent of six children (having previously delivered twins and one child ), expressed her gratitude and joy at the outcome.

MEC for Health, Sasekani Manzini, extended best wishes to the mother and acknowledged the exceptional efforts of the healthcare professionals.

“During Workers’ Month, this achievement highlights the diligence and efficiency with which our staff serve the public. It is further evidence of the capability and resilience of our healthcare system, and we celebrate the excellence consistently demonstrated within our facilities,” said MEC Manzini.

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This is after surgeons successfully removed a Wilms’ tumour on a child with thrombus extending from the left renal vein into the IVC, followed by IVC venotomy.

The child had a kidney cancer called Wilms which was operated and removed. The tumor caused an obstruction of the veins draining the kidney, which was complicated by a blood cloth extending from the renal vein to the big vein draining blood from the legs, pelvis and abdomen (body)all the way to the heart.

The Department Of Health says during the procedure, parts of the veins had to be removed and reconstructed, to allow blood to flow freely from the kidneys to the whole body.

The doctors who operated on the child include Dr Dave Tasker who is the head of the clinical unit at Rob Ferreira, a paediatric surgeon from Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, Dr Omar Khamag, Dr Paul Nepgen as an anaesthesia consultant.

READ | Operation Smile returns to Mpumalanga

This type of operation is said to the first of its kind to be performed at a public hospital in the province. MEC for Health, Sasekani Manzini has commended the hospital for the successful procedure stating that the aim is to expand services order to manage complicated cases within the province.

“We are delighted and proud of our doctors for doing such a massive job. The fact that this operation is the first of its kind to be performed in our public hospital means a lot for us and more, especially people of the province.This is one positive achievement that demonstrates our commitment to bringing better health services to our people. Well done to Rob Ferreira Hospital and the team of doctors who performed the operation. To us, this is what we call, Umehluko wezempilo ebantwini“, she said.

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The above was stated by MEC for Health, Sasekani Manzini during the launch of the 2025 Festive Season Contigency Plan on Tuesday morning on the N4. This was to outline comprehensive plans and interventions aimed at strengthening emergency readiness across the province.

Manzini emphasised on the importance of people taking care of themselves during the festive season, assuring that personnel of about 600 people in health facilities, including 27 managers, will be working around the clock.

“Our clinics will be open throughout, but we urge patients to make arrangements to collect it earlier from their local clinics. If you do not feel well, visit a healthcare facility and to those taking chronic medication, do ensure you continue taking medication and take good care of yourselves,” said Manzini.

Emergency Medical Services staff member, Phineas Nkosi said the province is ready and prepared with systems in place.
“All three districts are ready and we encourage communities to make contact should they experience any problems that need to be responded to urgently.”

The department’s Festive Season Contingency Plan is designed to ensure that health services remain fully functional and responsive during the holiday period.

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This was the 15th local Operation Smile surgical programme made possible through key support from Glencore and Woolworths MyDifference. The surgical programme took place from July 25 until the 27th July at the Rob Ferreira Hospital in partnership with the Mpumalanga Department of Health and with the support of a team of 40 medical volunteers from throughout South Africa.

Since its establishment in South Africa in 2006, Operation Smile has provided reconstructive surgery and comprehensive care for approximately 500 people with cleft lip and cleft palate across South Africa.

In the past 19 years it has built a network of over 150 active volunteers, comprising cleft surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists, pediatricians, dentists, speech therapists, psychologists, biomedical staff and more. They have traveled across South Africa and throughout Sub-Saharan Africa to perform thousands of life-changing surgeries.

“Dental care is a vital part of the overall treatment plan for people with cleft conditions. Most people born with a cleft – and certainly all those born with a cleft palate – need dental treatment, because the whole jaw is affected. The more support we can provide, the more we can improve quality of life,” said Executive Director at Operation Smile South Africa, Sarah Scarth. 

Noel Pillay, Glencore Coal’s General Manager for Community and Regulatory Affairs added that healthcare should not be a privilege but a right. 

“Our continued support of Operation Smile reflects our commitment to investing in the well-being of communities near our operations. These surgeries don’t just change faces, they impact lives, helping children to eat, speak, smile and thrive with confidence. We are honored to have played a part in their journey.”

 Last year, 33-year-old Mbombela resident, Promise Thembelihle Mathebula experienced the transformative power of compassionate care through Operation Smile – for the second time.

When she was a child, Promise received surgery for her cleft lip and palate through Operation Smile. In 2024, it was her son’s turn – baby Mpelo, then five months old, underwent a successful lip surgery and will return again this year for his palate repair.

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The event, which is annually celebrated on April 25, took place at the Nutting House on May 2, bringing together distinguished guests, including traditional leaders and healthcare practitioners who collaborate with the Department of Health in the fight against malaria.

In her keynote address, MEC Manzini highlighted the significant progress, noting that malaria cases dropped from 2,578 last year to just 1,067 this year, representing a remarkable 59% decrease. “We are doing very well in the province as far as malaria is concerned. We’ve registered 2,578 cases in the previous financial year and only recorded 1,067 cases this year, which is a 59% decrease. This means we’re doing very well as a province in combating the disease,” she said.

The province’s malaria control efforts, including Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) and community awareness campaigns, have proven effective. MEC Manzini attributed the success to the collaboration between the Department of Health and traditional leaders.

READ | SA records over 7 400 malaria cases

“Notably, the province has seen a significant decline in malaria-related deaths, from 21 last financial year to just three this year, with one case each in the Bushbuckridge, Mbombela, and Nkomazi municipalities. This underscores the effectiveness of our collaborative efforts with traditional authorities and practitioners, yielding positive outcomes,” she added.

The MEC emphasised the importance of continued collaboration in the fight against malaria, highlighting the department’s efforts in providing better treatment compared to the private sector. “We’ve made significant strides in raising awareness and providing effective treatment for malaria, which is driving our positive results. I believe that our healthcare facilities outperform the private sector in treating it, as evident in our statistics,” she noted.

The significant decline in malaria cases in Mpumalanga is a testament to the province’s commitment to eliminating the disease. The Department of Health remains focused on achieving its goal of malaria elimination, with ongoing efforts to strengthen health systems and engage communities in malaria prevention and control initiatives.

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The recruitment process was discussed in a meeting on Tuesday, February 4, at the government headquarters attended by Health MEC, Sasekani Manzini, Premier Mandla Ndlovu and members of the South African Medical Association Trade Union (SAMATU).

This comes after several unemployed medical doctors who received government-funded bursaries to study medicine, recently took to the streets and marched to the provincial government offices to demand jobs. Many of them stated that they have been having difficulty finding employment, despite completing their studies.

READ | Electronic medical system launched

In response to the recent protest, the Health MEC announced that despite budget constraints, the 7th Administration is expediting the recruitment of medical doctors to provide essential healthcare support in hospitals across the province.
“The process is at an advanced stage and will culminate into the appointment of 25 medical doctors, who are currently unemployed,” said the MEC during the briefing.

MEC Manzini also announced that the government will soon advertise 10 additional posts, intensifying efforts to enhance the capacity of Mpumalanga’s health facilities. This move aims to provide quality healthcare access to all communities, including rural areas. As part of this initiative, a total of 35 medical doctors will be employed, bolstering the province’s healthcare workforce.

Meanwhile, Premier Mandla Ndlovu assigned the Department of Health to work closely with SAMATU to address various issues which the union has raised concerns.

READ| Eswatini Health Ministry benchmarks with Mpumalanga Health Department

This development is a significant step towards improving the capacity of health facilities in Mpumalanga, particularly in rural areas. The employment of these medical doctors will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the healthcare sector in Mpumalanga.

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This is to ensure that patients’ records are kept safe and easy to retrieve.

According to the Department of Health, this will improve healthcare management and provide real time access to patients information across facilities, ensuring accuracy and reducing risks. It will also promote patients’ participation and improve information access making prescribing medication safer and more realiable.

MEC, Sasekani Manzini said the launch of the system is a new positive twist to store and retrieving patients file.

“We are very happy to be launching the EMR system, our patients will now breathe a sigh of relief, that when they get to our facilities their health information is kept safe and easily retrievable,” said Manzini.

READ | Eswatini Health Ministry benchmarks with Mpumalanga Health Department

The model was designed to ensure continuous improvement, alignment with local needs, and structured capacity- building at each phase of the system’s rollout.

The phase is currently being rolled out in seven facilities in the Nkangala District. The national department is currently running workshops and trainings before the system is rolled out fully in the province.

The MEC also visited the Civic Clinic for a practical demonstration of how the e-Impilo Electronic Record System functions.

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Having access to high-quality healthcare can reduce these risks and create a supportive environment for nurturing life.
Several primary factors contribute to maternal mortality worldwide, including socio-economic elements like income levels, education, and race.

Nonetheless, the Department of Health is actively working to address maternal mortality across the country.
Discussions concerning maternal and child health between the Eswatini Health Ministry, the South African National Health Department, and the Mpumalanga Department of Health commenced positively at The Capital Hotel in Mbombela.

READ Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision programme

This initiative is aimed to address maternal mortality, child health and exploring potential solutions. MEC for Health, Sasekani Manzini, formally welcomed the delegates from the Kingdom of Eswatini Health Ministry for the two-day event, who were there to learn about these important issues.

Manzini emphasized that this initiative will not only be advantageous for our nation, but will also fulfill its intended role within the global health community.

“We believe that this visit will also create an opportunity for other visits because I was saying Mpumalanga is closer to Eswatini, meaning the people that we are servicing in the province are almost the same, so it is the best province to come and benchmark. I believe that this was the best decision for them to come here and we will also learn from them,” Manzini said.

Rejoice Nkambule, a representative from the Health Ministry of Eswatini, stated that this visit is essential as it will aid their nation in implementing systems that will enable them to tackle the problem.

PICTURES:

“We are here to learn about the various systems that are used to tackle martenal mortality. We are here to also visit hospitals to check if there is a tragedy of a mother dying during child birth and determine what should we do next.
“How do we report on that and lastly, how do we prevent such things from happening because it is important that the mother and child should both live,” Nkambule added.

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This was to empower health workers, improve job satisfaction and to ensure a sustainable healthcare system meets the needs of communities.

This year’s theme was dubbed: Fostering Respect for Collective bargaining,Social Dialogue and Labour Peace To Enhance Service Delivery In The Department.

Addressing laborers on the first day, MEC for health, Sasekani Manzini touched on topics ranging from mental health, safety, human resource strategic goals to the importance of the health sector’s contribution to economic growth.

READ | Department of Health warns public of job scammers

Manzini said it is important for workers to prioritize their mental health as it impacts productivity in healthcare facilities.

“We must strive to establish collaborative engagement and cooperation to ensure healthcare workers are trained, equipped supported and protected by all means possible. We need to embrace social dialogue as it is essential in building trust and mutual respect between all parties,” she said.

READ | Free medical circumcision for men in Ehlanzeni district – circumcise Friday be back at work Monday

One of the challenges faced by healthcare workers is the increasing incidents of violence and attacks in communities they serve. Manzini said this compromises health workers’ abilities to provide the high quality care expected of them.

“We need to collectively generate and implement robust measures to protect healthcare workers from harm and violence, and we must work closely with community leaders to foster understanding and respect for the already-known critical role that healthcare workers play in society,” emphasised Manzini.

PICTURES:

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“If you take advantage of Soka Fridays, you can get circumcised on a Friday and be back at work on Monday morning,” explains Dr Khumbulani Moyo, Chief of Party of the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision programme at Right to Care.
 
Men now have a chance to take extra care to protect themselves and their partners from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, as the Right to Care NGO has partnered with health centres in each province across South Africa to encourage and make it easy for men to circumcise at no charge. 
 
Circumcision can help prevent HIV by as much as 60% and it also reduces the transmission of HPV which causes cervical cancer in women. 
 
Many men worry about the effect a circumcision may have on their sex life, but when performed by trained medical professionals in recognised healthcare facilities, circumcision has no adverse effects on sexual function or pleasure. It is only during the short healing process that men should not have sex or masturbate. 

Here’s where you can go for your circumcision in the Ehlanzeni district that also operate on a Friday:
All clinics operate from 07:30 until 16:00

• 1. Naas Clinic, 824B KaMaQhekeza Township, Mpumalanga
• 2. Matikwana Hospital, Stand No 413c, Main Street R536 Hazyview/Skukuza Road Mkhuhlu
• 3. Nelspruit Community Health Centre, 10 Brander Street, Nelspruit
• 4. Dr Mkhonto, Stand no: 601 Thulamashe, Sabie Park
  
• To find out more about free medical circumcision or to make an appointment at any of these or other Right to Care’s circumcision clinics, call or send a ‘please call me’ to the Right to Care circumcision call centre on 082 808 6152. You can also find Right to Care on Facebook.
  
• Right to Care is funded by the Centers for Disease Control through PEPFAR South Africa. On behalf of the Department of Health, it provides circumcisions in 350 health facilities across 27 districts in eight provinces.

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