Plans for a brand new academic hospital in Gauteng are being advanced, says the Gauteng Department of Health, as are those for a 300-bed mother and child unit extension and some major and critical infrastructure upgrades at several other public facilities, reports The Citizen.
In a progress report on healthcare infrastructure delivery during the past financial year, it said it would bolster this progress by expediting other planned projects during the 2026/27 financial year.
Several refurbishment and repair projects at major hospitals had been completed this past year, which included Ward 09 at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, the Breast Clinic at Helen Joseph Tertiary Hospital, Ward 6.3 and the Neonatal Ward at Steve Biko Academic Hospital, and the Neonatal Ward at Tembisa Hospital.
Ward 11 at Chris Hani Baragwanath also underwent refurbishment, alongside general critical repairs at the hospital.
Acute mental-health capacity also increased from 549 to 565 beds during the reporting period, strengthening capacity in an area of growing healthcare need.
Plans for Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital include a new academic hospital – this after an undertaking made when the Presidency and the Ministry of Health carried out an oversight visit in June last year.
Scandal-linked Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital, meanwhile, gets a 300-bed extension to its mother and child unit, while other developments include the construction of new bulk stores and the refurbishment of the hospital’s mortuary to meet occupational health and safety standards.
At Steve Biko Academic Hospital, a generator switchgear replacement project is under way to improve the reliability and resilience of its emergency power supply.
The department has also prioritised replacing the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.
It is also exploring public-private partnerships to support some of its capital infrastructure needs. Despite progress, the department acknowledged that these remain substantial, particularly at older facilities, and that “sustained capital and maintenance investment is required to address these challenges”.
The Citizen article – Gauteng Health advances hospital upgrades, new facilities (Open access)
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