Question NW3959 to the Minister of Health
14 December 2023 - NW3959
Hlengwa, Ms MD to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What is the update on the current plans for the revitalisation and reopening of the Kempton Park Hospital, which has remained closed for 25 years; (2) (a) what specific health services and facilities are envisaged for the revitalised Kempton Park Hospital and (b) how will such services and facilities address the healthcare needs of the surrounding communities; (3) whether there were consultations with the local community regarding the plans for the specified hospital; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, how was the community feedback incorporated into the redevelopment strategy; (4) what measures have been put in place to ensure that the hospital aligns with the healthcare priorities and expectations of the communities it serves?
Reply:
1. The Gauteng Department of Health (GDOH) requested the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID) to plan the renovation and refurbishment of the existing hospital infrastructure. The department was informed that the cost of renovations was comparatively too high as compared to the cost of building a new hospital. It was then decided that the existing hospital buildings should be demolished, site cleared, and a new hospital be built on the same site.
Further GDOH requested Gauteng Infrastructure Funding Agency (GIFA) to assist with the funding proposals for the demolishing and rebuilding of the new hospital. Currently GIFA is in the process of preparing Business Cases for submission to National Treasury to request alternative funding of the project under the Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) Framework.
2. GDOH plans to reopen the hospital as a new district hospital to provide additional level 1 district beds needed within the Tembisa and Kempton Park area. Provision of additional district hospital beds at Kempton Park hospital will alleviate the pressure on the Tembisa Regional hospital and free bed space for level 2 and level 3 patients.
(3) The planning of the project was put on hold in 2019 to ensure funding is secured before the project can proceed. Consultations with local community were planned to take place once the funding of the project is secured and the project is ready to proceed.
4. The construction of a new level 1 Kempton Park district hospital will ensure that hospital aligns with the Departmental Long-Term Plan (LTP) to provide much needed level 1 district beds within the Tembisa and Kempton Park and the surrounding areas.
Tembisa hospital is a regional hospital with the proposed plan to increase the level of care to Tertiary and Regional levels. Currently Tembisa hospital is under severe pressure due to being the only government hospital catering for the uninsured population of Tembisa, Kempton Park and other surrounding areas.
Due to shortage of district beds in the area, Tembisa hospital is using level 2 beds for level 1 patients that are affecting the level 2 bed availability.
END.