Health Minister Joe Phaahla said the provincial government was committed to building a new hospital to serve the areas of Klipfontein, Gugulethu and Nyanga, and the planning part of the hospital had been completed.
He made the statement replying to questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday when EFF MP Susan Thembekwayo asked him about his department’s plans to build a bigger regional hospital after decommissioning the GF Jooste Hospital in Manenberg, the only hospital serving the Klipfontein area communities of Manenberg, Gugulethu and Nyanga.
Thembekwayo also enquired about the department’s plans towards upgrading healthcare facilities in the area to meet the needs of these communities.
In his reply, Phaahla said the GF Jooste Hospital was decommissioned in 2013 because it was no longer suitable for services it was meant to provide and many patients were moved to the Mitchells Plain Hospital, which had just been completed.
“Some of the services were diverted to nearby Heideveld community health centre, especially the emergency services,” he said.
He said the provincial government committed at the time to what was envisaged as a new hospital being erected and completed as early as 2019, but that had not taken place.
“They have been upgrading other facilities such as the Hanover Park community health centre and some work is going on in Nyanga.
“There is a particular budget committed in Gugulethu, which is also under a lot of pressure because it has lots of clients and is also in a confined area not easy to upgrade and expand, but the province is looking for an alternative site.”
Phaahla said there were a number of areas where there was work going on to make sure more services could be provided.
“At this stage, the province is committed to building a new hospital,” he said.
“A site has been identified and once there are necessary financial resources, they will be able to start. The planning part of the new hospital has already been completed,” Phaahla added.
When asked what happened to the R2.2 billion for phase one of the new hospital, the minister said the planning in terms of professional services work has been done.
“It is almost complete in terms of the design phase.”
Phaahla also said he would investigate the amount of R2.2bn Thembekwayo quoted.
Phaahla said the planning for a new hospital could cost 15% of the total cost for the projects and the R2bn would be the complete costs for a health facility.
“That number is quite unlikely but I am sure the member can provide me with the source. I will go back to investigate but as far as I can assure the House the services of design and engineer as informed by the province is complete.
“They are finalising issues of a new site approval to be able to procure services for construction,” he said.
Phaahla said the decommissioning of a hospital was only done in extreme situations. “We prefer a situation that where possible, an upgrade must be done at an existing facility. That is where, in most cases, unless you find an adjacent site, a facility can be constructed.We prefer to upgrade where they exist.”
Cape Times