Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has commended the various teams that worked on Nelson Mandela Day surgical marathons, for ensuring that the department exceeds the target of 700 procedures.

Nkomo-Ralehoko said as at 7pm on Tuesday, 720 elective surgeries were carried out by the 32 facilities that took part in the marathons.

A total of 724 surgeries were conducted on the day.

"It is a job well done to the whole team. We set ourselves a target and we have been able to surpass that target. This milestone is a clear demonstration of the capacity we have within the Gauteng healthcare system.

"This demonstrates what can be achieved when we partner with multiple stakeholders to tackle issues confronting the healthcare system. The challenge we have set for the team now is replicating this success regularly through a series of marathons until we have eliminated the backlog," an elated Nkomo-Ralehoko said.

In response to the call to action, health workers, including doctors and medical specialists from 32 Gauteng health facilities joined the globe in commemorating International Mandela Day, by participating in a massive surgical marathon, where over 700 elective surgeries were conducted on patients who have been on the waiting list.

Hundreds of patients, who had been waiting to undergo surgical procedures ranging from plastic surgery, neurosurgery, urology, orthopaedics, hernia repair, prostate biopsy, colostomy closures and many others, had their dignity restored as they were operated on.

The department said the surgical marathons aim to reduce the backlogs currently facing the province, when it comes to surgeries.

The department said at the beginning of the year, 32 000 patients were waiting surgical procedures, and they have managed to reduce the backlog to about 18 000 patients awaiting surgical procedures.

Gauteng Health Department spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba, said the surgical marathons are more than just reducing the backlogs, but most importantly, "they are about restoring dignity to hundreds of patients whose lives have been impacted by their medical condition."

"The aim is to see how far we can push this so that even beyond the Mandela Day, we are able to continue running these surgical marathons," Modiba said.