DoH acquisition of St Mary’s good news

THE Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal welcomes the take-over of St Mary’s Hospital in Marianhill by the province’s Department of Health.

The DA has long advocated such a move, which will ultimately save hundreds of jobs, while ensuring the continuity of services to the surrounding community. It will also save the DoH the enormous costs associated with having to build a new facility in the area from scratch.

We sincerely hope that its acquisition will allow facilities such as the RK Khan Hospital and, to some degree, the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital to decongest. If all goes well, the reduced number of patients at these facilities should see an improvement in waiting times and services currently being experienced by out-patients.

This newly acquired facility cannot become a victim of the decay so prevalent under this department and its MEC, and the DA is committed to keeping a close eye on what happens at St Mary’s. We will also request that KZN’s Health portfolio committee monitors progress.

DR IMRAN KEEKA, MPL DA KZN Spokesperson on Health