A WOMAN who broke her leg two weeks ago in a traffic accident is today still waiting for an operation because of a backlog in surgery at Queen Mary Hospital.
The ordeal of Ms Natividad Bose, a 56-year-old Filipina maid, has prompted heavy criticism of services at Queen Mary, the teaching hospital of the University of Hongkong.
Last week, hospital chief executive Dr Vivian Wong admitted overcrowding was a problem in the orthopaedic wards but said she was looking at ways to reduce the waiting time.
''They are among our worst wards,'' she said.
Dr Wong would not say whether it was unusual for a patient to wait almost a fortnight for an operation. She said the waiting time was determined by the type of fracture and the patient's condition.
Ms Bose broke her right leg late on January 25 when the taxi she was travelling in was involved in an accident.