R13m upgrade for city hospital

MEDICLINIC Gariep is currently upgrading its facilities and a new R13 million building project is under way to host additional doctors’ consulting rooms as well as grow the hospital’s capacity in the emergency unit, high care unit and the intensive care unit.

Mediclinic Kimberley/Gariep spokesperson, Denise Coetzee, said yesterday that the hospital was proud to grow in line with the needs of its doctors and patients.

“The building project kicked off in April this year and is expected to take approximately one year to complete.”

Coetzee pointed out that the hospital was experiencing high volumes of patients in the emergency unit on a daily basis. “We are therefore expanding the patient waiting area and changing the layout to assist us with better patient flow. A doctor’s room will be added as well as extra beds in the emergency unit so that we are able to cope with more patients at a time.”

Extra isolation cubicles will also be added in the high care and intensive care units. “These units are filled to capacity most of the time,” Coetzee stated. “The extra cubicles will alleviate the need for beds for patients who need to be isolated.”

A three-storey addition to the existing main building forms part of the building project. This addition will house an extension of specialist services in the hospital which will help to ensure patients have continuous access to the best health care on offer.

“We are currently busy with the recruitment of more specialists. The lower level will be for specialist parking bays, the first floor will house a dialysis unit as well as specialist rooms, whilst the top floor will also house specialist rooms.

“This R13 million building project is seen by Mediclinic Gariep as an investment in our community and a sign of trust in the local economy. The hospital has grown and went from strength to strength since opening in December 2014, thanks to the support of the community.”