PROVINCIAL health departments are breathing a sigh of relief following the suspension of the public servants' strike.

Hospitals in Gauteng were among the hardest hit, as were those in the Eastern Cape.

Eastern Cape health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said: "It would be difficult to tell the backlogs because everything was almost at a standstill.

"We had two hospitals closed - St Barnabas hospital in Lebote, Empilweni in East London - and 11 [others] which had to close some units. This was due to intimidation. We had workers being assaulted and hospitals vandalised."

Kupelo said he was concerned this month about companies "withdrawing services because of non-payment". However, he did say the department had enough stock of anti-retroviral drugs.

KwaZulu-Natal health spokesman Chris Maxon said none of the provinces' clinics and hospitals were shut down during the strike.

"We cannot at this stage anticipate backlogs.

"What could have happened was you could have cases in elective surgery where people had come to hospital given that they not need life saving surgery."

The Free State health department provided care for chronically ill patients, said spokesman Jabu Mbalula.

"The most hard hit were the clinics that are the entry points for people to access healthcare.

''We had a toll-free line where people could call to find alternative places to collect their anti-retrovirals and to empower patients to get their medication," he said.

The Western Cape recorded the lowest impact on the health system, said spokesman Helene Rossouw.

Dr Aagrey Morake, head of health in Limpopo, said their electricity and water supplies were interfered with by striking workers.

Mpumalanga health spokesman Mpho Gabashane said they would begin analysing backlogs today.

"Generally, there would be backlogs. When your staffing level is low naturally that would affect your work flow.

''For instance if you had to refer a patient to a private institution, it means that patient must come back to the nurse," Gabashane said. - lelliottj@sundaytimes.co.za