Queenstown health boost

construction has started on a r20million state of the art care cure sub-acute hospital in queenstown.

stakeholders gathered in the town’s westbourne residential area for the sod-turning ceremony of the hospital, the first of its kind in the eastern cape, on wednesday.

queenstown care cure chairman dr siyabonga jwaqa said the private hospital was “a step down facility” with lower rates than other private hospitals but with competitive services.

local doctors have a 75% shareholding in the facility which was established to provide “affordable quality healthcare to the local community,” he said.

the hospital group, a franchise with existing facilities in the free state and johannesburg, has plans to expand to other centres in the country.

the hospital was issued an operational licence in 2009, but initial hiccups delayed construction which eventually started in february.

care cure executive director of operations xolile yawa said the first phase of the 24-bed hospital, which includes psychiatry, maternity and physiotherapy wards, was expected to be completed by the end of the year.

the hospital would ensure employment opportunities during construction and thereafter, yawa said.

future plans include a day theatre and a diagnostic clinic, with hopes that as many as 20 full-time and 10 part-time jobs would be created, mainly in the medical field, during the initial stages.

yawa said the facility would include a number of private rooms and three general wards and support facilities including examination rooms, a delivery unit and a kitchen.

“the architectural design is such that the hospital can be enlarged at a later stage to increase bed numbers or to convert into a diagnostic medical centre with a day theatre.”

medical aid members are anticipated to be the main users, but the competitive tariffs were also expected to attract patients without medical aid.

by thobile hans