Infrastructure improvements and the modernisation of the public healthcare system though ICT interventions are part of the apex priorities of the 7th Administration.
This is the assurance given by the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) on Thursday, 19 September, during a media briefing held at the Mamelodi Regional Hospital which provided a comprehensive update on the interventions to upgrade and maintain the healthcare facility infrastructure and the ICT projects being implemented as part of the eHealth strategy.
“Infrastructure is the backbone of our healthcare system, particularly as Gauteng’s population continues to grow with Stats SA’s mid-year population estimates for 2024, indicating that our province is home to nearly 16 million residents, many of whom rely on public healthcare services. Also, in preparation for the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI), we recognise the urgency of upgrading existing facilities and constructing new ones to meet increasing demands,” explained Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko.
In the Tshwane district, healthcare facilities which include the Mamelodi Regional Hospital, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Jubilee District Hospital, Tshwane District Hospital, have received extensive refurbishments over the past few months to provide quality healthcare services for residents. The district is also expected to see the opening of newly constructed clinics namely Mandisa Siceka and Kekanastad, while the construction of the Boikhutsong Day Clinic is nearing completion with 80%, and renovations at Eersterust Community Health Centre and the Dental Unit at Stanza Bopape Community Health Centre are also nearing completion.
In the Ekurhuleni district, the casualty unit at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital has been successfully renovated and the air handling units in the theatre upgraded. Maintenance at the facility is also ongoing to repair and upgrade various areas of the hospital such as the mortuary to meet compliance requirements, and building of bulk storage facility that is OHS compliant. At Tambo Memorial Hospital, the renovation of the entire hospital is underway to ensure full compliance with Occupational Health and Safety standards. The Paediatric Ward, mother’s waiting area, outpatient waiting area, and restrooms have already been refurbished.
The Eye Clinic, Maternity Theatre, and HIV/Aids Clinic projects are complete at Far East Rand Hospital. Renovations of the Labour Ward, Post Natal Ward, Pharmacy, has been completed while the construction of a new 22 bedded Mental Health Care Unit has commenced. Refurbishment of the Paediatric Ward and renovation of bathrooms in various areas are complete at Pholosong Hospital.
In Johannesburg Health District, the Poly Clinic and Paediatric Ward’s waiting area for mothers, new Outpatient waiting area and restrooms at Edenvale Hospital have been refurbished. Maintenance and the renovation of critical departments are underway at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, so far, renovations of the breast milk bank in Dietetics department and renovations to the Neonatal isolation room have been completed.
Significant progress continues at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, numerous projects have been completed, including the Psychiatric Admission Ward and extensions to the Adult Burns Unit.
In the West Rand Health District, the project of repairing the Pharmacy to comply with Pharmacy Council Audit has been completed at Leratong Hospital. The hospital’s Records Department has also been renovated and the records ventilation system has been replaced. Several projects at the theatres such as the replacement of asbestos celling, replacement of 2 auto claves, replacement of the chiller for the theatre’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) have been completed. Additional projects are currently underway, focusing on enhancing various units and facilities, some projects are at 40% and 50% stage of completion.
Several upgrades and repairs have also been competed at Sterkfontein Hospital including the installation of the 250 000 litres water tank, replacement of broken doors and installation of geysers in all wards to mention a few. The process of landscaping the entire hospital is underway.
In Sedibeng Health District, the refurbishment of the Mortuary and Neonatal high care are complete at Kopanong District Hospital. Several Wards are currently undergoing renovations. The refurbishment of Johan Heyns CHC is also underway.
MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko further emphasised that efforts to modernise the healthcare system and streamline healthcare delivery through e-health are progressing well. “Our goal is to build a healthcare system that not only meets immediate needs but also establishes a sustainable foundation for future generations. We are leveraging digital health opportunities to create a world-class, digitally enabled health system that offers equitable, high-quality, and efficient healthcare services to all Gauteng residents.”
The GDoH is currently rolling out the Health Information System (HIS) to enhance real-time monitoring of the health system’s performance. This initiative will help reduce waiting times and improve resource allocation through digital tools, including queue management systems and an integrated data layer. Mamelodi hospital is already advanced in the implementation f the HIS solution.
The Department has begun the implementation of the eHealth digitisation back scanning at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital which focuses on the comprehensive digitisation of paper-based patient records and aims to create a digital repository that enhances accessibility, security, and efficiency in managing patient records, while also ensuring compliance with privacy and security standards. To date, over 130 000 patient files have been converted into digital format for improved accessibility and management.
The Queue Management System is currently being rolled out at Rahima Moosa Hospital to enable the Department to have a record of patients who visit healthcare facilities whether documented or undocumented. The project aims to monitor and manage turnaround times for service provision, provide insights into staff allocation, which areas, days, and times of the day seem to be busy for better provision of healthcare services to the residents.
The Department is undertaking a project to implement a sustainable Radiology Image and Data Management solution called Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) which is aimed at enhancing the efficient and standardization of radiology workflows. This solution will integrate radiology data into the patient’s overall health record, ensuring long-term retention and reproducibility of patient radiology data, including images and results.
These projects which are currently being implemented at certain sites will be incrementally implemented across facilities in the province.
SOURCED FROM THE GPG WEBSITE.
