title: Orthopaedic trauma workload in the former homeland of the Transkei, South Africa.
abstract: The Bedford Orthopaedic Centre is situated in Umtata at the heart of the former homeland of the Transkei in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. It acts as an orthopaedic and trauma referral hospital for a mainly rural population approaching 4 million. This article focuses on the workload of the hospital over a 4-month period and like many hospitals in South Africa we highlight the difficulties it faces with the trauma epidemic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wrightington Hospital, Wigan, UK. tmsmillar@hotmail.com
authors.forename: T M S
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: C C P
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: McConnachie
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016526:Workload; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*