The Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness (DHW) plans to complete three hospital projects by 2033, with the new Klipfontein and Belhar regional hospitals aimed at strengthening the regional hospital network and easing pressure on existing facilities, according to a departmental spokesperson.
Also in the pipeline is a state-of-art private hospital from Life Healthcare, in the Paarl area.
Planning and design work is progressing well for the public hospital projects, along with the statutory and site-readiness processes needed before construction can begin, reports Engineering News.
The Klipfontein Regional Hospital will serve Athlone, Gugulethu, Hanover Park, Manenberg, Mitchell’s Plain and Philippi, and cater for between 3 500 and 4 000 people daily.
Phase 1 – slated for completion in 2033 – includes commissioning 222 beds and building the space to accommodate a further 196 beds.
Phase 2 will see the commissioning of the 196 beds, while phase 3 will involve construction of additional wards, taking the hospital to its maximum capacity of 640 beds.
The Belhar Regional Hospital will serve Cape Town’s Tygerberg sub-structure and the Khayelitsha and Eastern sub-structure, as well as Stellenbosch, the 642-facility also planned for 2033 completion.
Around 3 500 to 4 000 people will use the hospital on a daily basis.
The third project is the Tygerberg Central Hospital, a redevelopment programme that will be delivered through the public-private partnership model.
This will replace the current Tygerberg Hospital with a modern tertiary facility, construction to potentially start in 2028, and commissioning also due for 2033.
Beefing up the line-up will be a brand new private hospital being built by Life Healthcare in Paarl, in collaboration with Reakopana Healthcare and developed by Giflo Medical in association with Fairwater.
The groundbreaking event for Life Paarl Valley Hospital will be later this year, with the facility scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.
The hospital will offer world-class, patient-centred care to residents of Paarl and its surrounding areas including Wellington, Tulbagh, Ceres, Worcester and Franschhoek.
As the second private acute hospital in the Paarl region and the only facility offering specialised cardiac services, it is poised to attract patients from the larger Boland area, say developers.
It will offer 140 acute beds and a comprehensive range of specialist services, including a cardiac catheterisation laboratory, cardiothoracic unit, intensive care unit (ICU), paediatric ICU, and neonatal facilities, among other specialist services and a 24-hour emergency unit.
“We are committed to creating a healthcare environment where patients receive compassionate, high-quality patient-centered care, supported by advanced medical technology and a team of highly-skilled professionals,” said Craig Koekemoer, Life Healthcare CEO.
The hospital is expected to generate numerous employment opportunities, creating jobs for healthcare professionals, administrative staff and support personnel. Around 60 specialist doctors and allied professionals will be employed, contributing to a total employment impact of 360 jobs, including support services.
This project marks Life Healthcare’s first new development in more than a decade.
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