Pretoria - Preparations for the official opening of the new 771-bed Natalspruit Hospital are on-going, the Gauteng Department of Health said on Sunday.
"The final stages of the preparations for the hospital to open and be operational include the configuration of electronic equipment, which is in progress, the installation of monitors in the control room, oxygen tank, radiology equipment and configuration of all CCTV cameras," Gauteng Health MEC Hope Papo said.
She was responding to a parliamentary question for written reply at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
Papo has assured Gauteng residents that a date to open the hospital will be communicated to them once a total completion of the infrastructure has been finalised and all necessary equipment have been installed and tested.
This is so as to avoid rushing to open the hospital and experience operational problems after that.
The relocation of staff, operational training of all workers to manage systems in the building, procurement of equipment from abroad and the delivery and installation of bio-medical equipment, among the essentials the department is looking into.
Upon its completion and opening, the Natalspruit Hospital will be a flag ship hospital within the South Africa medical system. This state-of-the-art hospital has to date cost more than R1.5 billion to build, while more than R47 million has been spent on 771 beds and building of a gateway clinic as well as a modern crèche. - SAnews.gov.za
