Amanzimtoti to get a public hospital

29-11-2024
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South Coast Sun
Source

President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement of a new government hospital on the south coast during his recent Presidential Imbizo.

WHILE trying to break up a fight in 2021, Victor Dunn of Illovo was hit in the face with a bottle. By the time he reached Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi (more than 20km away) the bleeding in his eye had already caused permanent vision loss. He feels his eye might have been saved if there had been a public hospital in Amanzimtoti.

So, when KZN Department of Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane announced, during the recent Presidential Imbizo which President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted in Umgababa, that a government hospital for Amanzimtoti was in the works, Dunn and thousands of other South Coast residents became hopeful.

“Clinics in Amanzimtoti are only open during the day and after hours you have to go to Umlazi for emergency medical attention. A hospital here will save a lot of lives and is long overdue,” said Dunn.

For years people needing tertiary health care have been referred to either Prince Mshiyeni or GJ Crookes Hospital in Scottburgh, depending on the ward they live in. The only hospital in the area, Netcare Kingsway Hospital, is privately owned.

Responding to why there is no public hospital in Amanzimtoti, MEC Simelane said eThekwini District had 20 hospitals and that made it difficult to plan for a new one because of budget constraints.

“But we have talked with Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health, about the need for a community health centre (CHC) hospital for this area. For a person in Umgababa, the Prince Mshiyeni hospital is 22km away while the GJ Crookes hospital is 21km away. That distance is even more for people who live inland,” said Simelane.

A CHC hospital provides primary health care services, including emergency care, 24-hour maternity services, and a short-stay ward.
Simelane said Motsoaledi would provide the budget for the hospital to be built next year.

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