Johannesburg – Owing to the recent ransomware attack at the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) there are delays in the processing of laboratory tests across public health facilities in the Gauteng.
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) on Monday said: “It wishes to advise the public about delays experienced in processing laboratory tests across public health facilities in the province”.
GDoH added: “This is due to the recent security breach experienced by the NHLS, which affected their information technology systems and disrupted laboratory services.
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“The unfortunate incident has inevitably led to longer waiting times for patients awaiting test outcomes.
“The GDoH understands that this may cause inconvenience as some services are slower than usual.”
Critical tests such as blood tests for sodium, potassium, glucose, and other vital chemicals as well as urgent tests for infections and other serious conditions are being prioritised to ensure that essential health services continue.
“Our facilities have point-of-care equipment such as i-stat machines that can provide healthcare professionals with diagnostic information key for patient care,” said the GDoH.
The GDoH appealed for “patience during this time” and assured the public that “we are working closely with NHLS to resolve this issue as quickly as possible”.
