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A R500 million Covid-19 hospital in West Rand is unfinished and unlikely to be of use to patients amid the second wave of infections in the country.
Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize reported that as of January 3, 2021, 11,859 new cases of Covid-19 had been registered, bringing the total reported to 1,100,748.
Deaths have reached 29,577 (a daily increase of 402), while recoveries have risen to 903,679, leaving the country with a balance of 167,429 active cases.
Gauteng currently accounts for the largest share of reported cases, just under 300,000 or 27% of the total. However, the province ranks third in terms of active cases, with just under 32,000 infections in the province.
According to Democratic Alliance deputy Jack Bloom, despite the growing crisis in the province, the government has seriously spoiled the remodeling of a hospital donated by AngloGold Ashanti to help with Covid-19 patients.
Rand 500 million was invested in remodeling the hospital to make it ready for 176 intensive care / ICU patients, but it is now incomplete and not ready, with officials reportedly admitting that it would have been cheaper to build a new hospital from scratch. Bloom said.
“Last week, local councilors visited this former mining hospital … they found it closed with several rooms completed but mostly unfinished. The finished areas had no equipment and there was no indication that the hospital will be ready for use anytime soon, ”said Bloom.
The MP said that the hospital was in reasonable condition when it was delivered and that the plan was to remodel it with 176 high-care / ICU beds for acute Covid-19 cases.
“Only 56 beds were completed due to the strike at the contractors site, and the payment to the 8 contractors was stopped pending the outcome of an investigation by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) into possible corruption,” he said.
“It is highly unlikely that any Covid-19 patient will be treated at this hospital in the near future.”
Bloom said an official admitted at a meeting of the Gauteng Legislature Health Committee that it would have been cheaper to build the hospital from scratch.
“This is a colossal misuse of money that could have been spent on other hospitals to help them treat rapidly escalating Covid-19 cases, some of which will require intensive care or ICU beds.”
The revelation about the hospital continues. weekend reports Health experts and workers warned the government about the poor state of hospitals in the country and its lack of preparation to handle the second wave of Covid-19, but did not do much to fix the situation.
Experts said hospital audits in September showed that major improvements were needed, but none of them materialized when the second wave hit.
Read: R256 million to keep Joburg field hospital open until January, despite admitting only 5 patients in October
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