The head of the Free State Department of Health, Godfrey Mahlatsi, with the clinical staff of the Bongani Regional Hospital, has expressed his appreciation for the hard work and professionalism displayed by all medical staff in handling the survivors of the Riebeeckstad High School bus accident on 6 February.
The accident claimed the lives of six learners and injured as many as 48 on the R70 road from Senekal to Ventersburg en route to Riebeeckstad in Welkom.
There are only two patients remaining at the Bongani hospital and they are in a stable condition.
Four of the learners admitted to Bongani were severely injured but stable, and were admitted and treated further. Twenty were left with minor injuries and have since been discharged. The families of these learners have also received counselling.
No deaths was recorded at the hospital.
“I am delighted for all the exceptional work that was done by our health facilities and further work that continues to be done,” said Mahlatsi.
There are now only five learners who remain as patients in health facilities.
Two learners, who are in a stable condition, are at Bongani, one is at the Welkom MediClinic, and another is at the Dihlabeng Regional Hospital awaiting further consultation for plastic surgery on Monday, 12 February. The fifth learner is at the Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital in Bloemfontein, recovering from what was reported as a successful neurosurgery operation done on 7 February.
This patient might be discharged back to the Dihlabeng hospital at the earliest possible time as she is stable and responding well to her environment after the surgery.
