South Africa will spend billions of rands to improve healthcare by renovating dilapidated hospitals, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Monday.
“We will put in massive investment — it will be more than what the country spent during the Soccer World Cup,” Motsoaledi told reporters at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban.
Motsoaledi, doctors, engineers and Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) representatives were attending a workshop aimed at preparing for the revamp of Durban’s King Edward VIII Hospital.
The hospital is one of five that will receive a massive, billion-rand facelift, Motsoaledi said.
The other hospitals are Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in the Eastern Cape, Dr George Mukhari and Chris Hani Baragwanath hospitals in Gauteng, and the Limpopo Academic Hospital.
‘This has never been done before’
“The revitalisation is [part] of the 10-point programme which is needed in preparation of the national health insurance [NHI]. I am here to start that process.”
He said they have decided to involve all health stakeholders in the revitalisation programme.
“This has never been done before. We are discussing how it can be done and we will be forming task teams.”
Motsoaledi said the actual cost of revamping hospitals will be known after the teams started their work.
Dr Massoud Shaker, provincial health department head of infrastructure, said the project manager for King Edward will be appointed before the end of the year.
DBSA divisional executive Lucy Chenge said her bank will be a partner and “possibly finance it”. — Sapa