Johannesburg - Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla, and Gift of the Givers head Dr Imtiaz Sooliman have unveiled a new and revamped set of dispensary storage facilities at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in Johannesburg.
This comes after sections of the hospital were gutted in April 2021 when the store facility and other amenities caught fire, causing a major setback for the efficient running of the hospital.
The project, which has benefited from a R60 million donation from the Gift of the Givers for the upgrade, has seen the facility declared the largest medical store in the country.
The minister, along with other Gauteng officials, was on hand to unveil the revamped 3 500m2 facility, which is believed to hold the key to helping the hospital with much-needed capacity and relief from the cluttered tunnel stores of the hospital storage.
This comes after the hospital’s special dispensary storage was damaged during the fire on April 16, 2021, which caused structural damage to the storage facility and adjacent sections of the hospital, resulting in an inadequate storage facility for supplies.
According to the department, the newly unveiled facility has more than enough storage space and shelving to ensure the organisation and classification of stock, as well as air conditioning and ablution facilities.
“The new Charlotte Maxeke stores are a cutting-edge, purpose-designed and constructed medical facility, which should prove to be a precedent for those that will follow. This is out of recognition among many of us that this hospital is a critical outpost in the health infrastructure design of South Africa. It cannot be let to fail or demise,“ Phaahla said.
The minister said more work was being done to refurbish other parts of the hospital that were affected by the fire.
“Donors like Gift of the Givers have lent their hands to ensure high-quality work is done and to make sure our people receive high-quality healthcare services,” he said.
Nkomo-Ralehoko also thanked the organisation for helping her department with the project, saying the Gift of the Givers’ support extended far beyond this project as the organisation continued to impact the lives of South Africans on a daily basis.
She told the Gift of the Givers founder: "The impact of your support extends far beyond the hospital stores themselves. It ripples through our entire healthcare system, empowering us to provide better healthcare, conduct critical research, and make advancements in medical science.
“Your contribution has become the building block upon which we can build a healthier and more resilient society,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
The Star