SOUTH AFRICA – The new purpose designed Netcare Alberton Hospital, which is currently under construction on the grounds of the former Newmarket racecourse, south of Johannesburg, is taking good shape.
Construction of the state-of-the-art facility is at an advanced stage and the hospital is expected to open its doors to patients in April 2022.
The hospital is being developed in conjunction with local businessman, Riaan Jonker, and Nedbank through a joint venture, namely the Rejem-Linton (Nedbank) – Netcare Property Holdings Joint Venture.
The main contractor appointed for the construction is Trencon Construction (Pty) LTD, supported by a multitude of local, national and international sub-contractors and suppliers.
Du Plessis explains that a key focus of the project implementation was to ensure substantial investment in local labor and businesses.
To this end, and at the peak of construction, the project offered employment to more than 800 local people, more than 90 local companies were utilized, and in excess of R200m has been spent on local businesses and suppliers.
“The Alberton community has been steadily growing, and so too has the demand for quality private healthcare services by communities in the area.
Given the number of highly specialized medical treatments provided at Netcare Union and Netcare Clinton hospitals, patients from as far afield as Mpumalanga and other neighboring provinces, as well as from neighboring countries, are also regularly referred to the hospitals for treatment.
“The decision to merge the two hospitals into one flagship facility and relocate it to a better positioned site was taken after extensive studies to explore possible solutions for the fact that the existing hospitals lacked the necessary space and capacity to cater for the growing demand and the need for necessary upgrades. Expanding and upgrading the current facilities was not a viable option,” he added.
The 427-bed hospital in the Newmarket development precinct is conveniently located for residents of the greater Alberton area and is also easily accessible for patients from further afield.
The modern maternity unit with a dedicated caesarean theatre, neonatal and pediatric intensive care units (ICUs), which are currently based at Netcare Clinton Hospital, will be housed in a secure, spacious and self-contained area on the third floor.
Netcare Union Hospital’s specialized cardiac unit including cardiac theatre, ICU and catheterization laboratory, dedicated hybrid, vascular and laminar flow theatres and sleep laboratory will also have their own purpose designed and digitally enabled facilities within Netcare Alberton Hospital.
The radiology unit will be expanded to serve more patients promptly. The facility will be easily accessible from the hospital wards for additional patient convenience.
“Communities in the region will be reassured to know that the emergency department based at Netcare Union Hospital, which houses one of only three private Level I accredited trauma centers in the country, will be expanded in the new hospital and continue to provide life-saving care to patients from across the region,” Du Plessis says.
New specialist physicians and those currently practicing at Netcare Union and Netcare Clinton hospitals will be accommodated in comfortable consulting rooms towards the front of the hospital, adjacent to the wards and intensive care units.
Ancillary healthcare services will be based close to the consulting rooms for the added convenience of doctors and patients alike.
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