Millions invested in private healthcare

LIFE Healthcare has invested R22.6-million into its new 20bed paediatric unit at Komani hospital.

Completion of the unit is expected at the end of October. The hospital has been expanded over the last four years from 70 beds to 100. In August they spent R8-million on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Life Healthcare’s Eastern Cape regional manager Bruce Janssens said they were pleased with the upgrades.

“During the last four years Life Healthcare has invested in a complete renovation and upgrade project for the hospital. Future plans include a further investment of about R20-million over the next financial year on expanding the theatre complex,” he said.

This is in line with the Chris Hani district municipality’s vision to position Komani as the business hub of the district. The upgrade also meant new staff were needed.

Janssens said: “The hospital can now boast the services of a specialised anaesthetist, a general surgeon, a physician, an orthopaedic surgeon, a gynaecologist and an extensive general practitioner network in the Komani area.”

This means patients won’t have to travel outside Komani for most medical services.

In addition to the Komani renovations, a new ICU at Life St Dominic’s Hospital in East London was built recently.

The R18-million unit is the fourth ICU facility for that hospital. “The hospital is home to a state-of-the-art cardiac unit with its own ICU as well as another three ICUs for medical and surgical patients,” Janssens said.

Following the completion of a physiotherapy pool for rehabilitation at Life St Dominic’s, further facelifts have taken place this year.

Life Beacon Bay’s specialities have expanded to include haematology and a medical ward. —