A recent report claimed that Balaklava Hospital would have to get their equipments sterilized before resuming surgery next month. While the Rural Doctors Association and the SA Opposition believe that surgery schedules cancelled had caused enough damage to patients and it has nothing to do with sterilization but due to reduce regional health services.

It has been confirmed by Department CEO Belinda Moyes that the process would happen at Clare Hospital. "Which we know is meeting standards and certainly can cope with the additional capacity”, said she, while asserting that there is dire need to assure that there is no compromise made whatsoever on the quality and cleanliness of equipments.

However, it has been made clear that Balaklava Hospital would not be closed permanently. Furthermore, patients would be told to reschedule their surgery at Clare. Meanwhile, Minister for Health and Aging John Hill has claimed that safety of patients and staff has always been their top priority and for that to happen, it is needed that required standards of the Australian College of Operating Room Nurses and the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists are being met by public hospitals.

It would be worth seeing how things go from here with services at Balaklava Hospital halted for some time for much needed reasons.