Question NW2354 to the Minister of Health

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01 July 2022 - NW2354

Profile picture: Ismail, Ms H

Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)Given that a few years ago the Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg was deemed unfit for human habitation and an occupational health hazard, what are the reasons that the specified building is still being used; (2) whether he will furnish Ms H Ismail with the 2017 Health and Safety Report of the specified hospital; if not, why not; if so, by what date; (3) given that some portions of the hospital still have asbestos buildings and noting that the structural damages are worrisome, (a) how are the specified issues being addressed and (b) by what date will the hospital either (i) be moved to an alternative site and/or (ii) start with infrastructural maintenance projects?

Reply:

1. The province is aware of the bad infrastructural condition that the Tambo Memorial hospital is in and had embarked on a feasibility study with the intention of revitalizing the entire facility. Initially the Gauteng Provincial Department of Health (GPDOH) wanted to construct two new facilities, a 350 bed District Hospital, and 800 bed Tertiary Hospital respectively on different sites. However, the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID) currently has no land (site) allocated for both facilities. Following the peer review meetings of July 2016, it was decided that the Tambo Memorial will now be a single 600 bed Regional Hospital, but no site was available. The Peer Review Committee in August 2017 proposed the decanting and diversion of critical services and demolish the existing facility to build on current site. The City of Ekurhuleni (COE) was tasked to assist with Identification of a suitable site. The City of Ekurhuleni was also requested to assist in identifying and donating any suitable nearby land (Around 30 000 and 40 000m2). During a meeting held between MEC of GDID and MEC of GPDOH on 14 June 2018, it was decided that this project will only proceed to construction once the financial position of the department improves.

2. There is an amount of R40 million that has been allocated under the Provincial Equitable Share funding for the Major Refurbishments of the facility as well as the OHS Compliance Services. This project is still on the early stages on planning.

3. In terms of the maintenance, there is also a maintenance and repairs project that is underway and has been allocated a budget of R13 million for 2022/23 financial year. Subsequent to that there is an allocation of R1 million that has been allocated for the installation of a 500kva generator which has already been installed on the 04/11/2021.

END.

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