New private hospital in the works for Mthatha

Private healthcare for Mthatha residents and surroundings is about to become more accessible with the imminent opening of a new state-of-the-art hospital in the town.

Herolim Private Hospital, the latest addition to Africa Healthcare’s nationwide offering, is 76-bedded facility currently under construction in Callaway, Mthatha.

The hospital is set to not only alleviate pressure off the town’s existing hospitals but offer employment to surrounding communities.

Introducing the town’s only private catheterisation laboratory (Cath lab), Herolim Private Hospital will give patients in Mthatha and surroundings a more convenient option closer to them.

A Cath lab is a specialised procedure room used for the examination and intervention of cardiac conditions in patients.

Currently patients in need of cardiac interventions in Mthatha are transferred to East London, more than 200km away, to access a Cath lab.

Herolim Private hospital is the brainchild of Mthatha seasoned physician, Dr Mkhuseli Mashiyi, and is set to open early in 2024.

Boasting multiple disciplinaries for patients’ overall health needs, the hospital adds to Africa Health Care’s 18 hospitals across South Africa. It is one of three hospitals currently under construction in the country.

Africa Healthcare is a healthcare operator specialising in hospital management and related healthcare services.

The company launched its first Eastern Cape hospital, Royal Buffalo Specialist Hospital, in Amalinda in March last year.

Mashiyi, who has more than 20 years of experience working in Mthatha’s private and public hospitals, has had a front row seat to the challenges faced by the community of Mthatha and surroundings.

“Having witnessed the situation in both private and government hospitals in Mthatha, I have no doubt that there is definitely a need for a new hospital.

“Almost every day you have to turn a patient away because there are no beds in the current existing private hospitals in Mthatha. We currently have two private hospitals but they are always perpetually full,” Mashiyi said.

The demand for a new hospital, Mashiyi said, was evident from a layman’s perspective before it was backed up by studies.

“This particular hospital will not only go a long way in sorting out the issue of bed shortages but brings with it new facilities that are currently unavailable in Mthatha. Among these 76 beds, we offer care in multiple disciplinaries such as obstetrics and gynae, neurology, cardiology – both paediatric and adult,” Mashiyi said.

He said the hospital is further set to benefit Mthatha’s medical school at Walter Sisulu University through the provision of specialist training and employment opportunities.

“We have a lot of specialist doctors who hail from Mthatha but can’t come and work here because there is no platform to do so,” he said.

Mashiyi said Herolim Private Hospital was built in anticipation of the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) financing system.

“If NHI was to be implemented tomorrow and the hospital was ready to function, it would be a part of that approach,” he said.

Mashiyi said the construction of the hospital had already created employment for the community and would offer more employment opportunities for health workers and admin staff.

“This is a state-of-the-art hospital with specialised functions, so it will definitely improve the outlook of Mthatha and hopefully aid the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality’s pursuance of a metro status,” he said.

•Herolim Private Hospital has multiple vacancies for operational staff members to be employed for next year. These include managers, clerks, stock controllers and nurses. A full list of vacancies is on the classifieds section.

•Applicants are requested to apply via the career’s portal on www.africahealthcare.co.za. This is the ONLY portal for applications and no third parties are mandated to receive CVs for any positions at Herolim Private Hospital. For enquiries, contact 010-141-8224.