Life Queenstown Private Hospital has officially opened its R78m brand new state-of-the-art 20-bed paediatric unit.
The upgrade saw ICU beds being doubled to 10 , while there is also a new theatre complex. The facelift will improve the state of healthcare for patients who can afford the private hospital which serves Komani and surrounding towns.
Life Healthcare Border Kei regional manager, Bruce Janssens, said in response to the changing demand of healthcare and the developing needs of the Komani community, the Life Group had invested R78m in upgrading and expansion projects since 2012.
“The hospital now offers comprehensive care to patients requiring emergency and other medical interventions.
“We have grown from a 30-bed hospital with limited specialities to a 99-bed facility, including radiology and an accident and emergency unit,” he said.
Janssens said the hospital could now boast of world class facilities which attracted highly-skilled specialists to Komani.
“Following the expansion of the ICU, the hospital opened two renal dialysis stations in the ICU to provide chronic and acute dialysis to patients who reside in and around Komani,” said Janssens. He said the new stations at the hospital offered patients the option to remain closer to home when they needed treatment – as opposed to being treated in East London, for example.
“The new stations offer diagnostic and therapeutic services for both acute and chronic dialysis, including haemodialysis (HD), pre-dialysis (chronic kidney disease stage 1-3) patient education programme, early dialysis access creation and education,” he said.
Janssens said the hospital had completed its bulk infrastructure upgrade worth R6.2m.
“This infrastructure includes an increase in hot water storage capacity with the installation of three heat pumps which will save on electricity as compared to conventional geysers. The cold water storage capacity has been increased, a bulk oxygen tank installed and additional back-up generator capacity introduced,” Janssens said.
“The investments are in line with the Chris Hani district municipality’s vision to position Komani as the business hub of the Chris Hani district.“ It has enabled the hospital to attract private practice specialists including an anaesthetist, general surgeons, a physician, an orthopaedic surgeon and a paediatrician in the last two years.”Speaking on behalf of doctors in Komani, Dr Zimamele Fuzani, said there was a need to solidify the partnership between the hospital, local doctors and the community.“Working together we can make an impact. Life Hospital is a game-changer and it plays an important role in changing the lives of people in the area,” he said.tembiles@dispatch.co.za..