Construction of TB wards to be accelerated

A meeting between hospital management, officials from the department's infrastructure sections and representative from the construction company has been scheduled for this week to discuss work required to finalise the construction of the wards, the department said.

Construction was delayed because of changes in the scope of work, variation of orders and slow payment.

The department paid R435 000 to the construction company last week to enable it to complete the work.

Minor work including painting, construction of a ramp, ventilation and electrical installation are some of the issues that need to be finalised before the wards can be commissioned.

"The costs of the construction of the wards have escalated from R30.2 million to more than R42 million because of changes in the scope and variation of orders. Additional work such as the construction of a new sewerage system and storm water drainage are factors that contributed to cost escalations," the department said.

The new wards will increase the hospitals capacity from the current 266 beds to 312 and introduce single cubicle beds necessary to prevent the spread of TB infections.

The department said it wanted to see the construction of the wards completed speedily so that it could expand the services it offers to patients with drug resistant TB.

Meanwhile, the department has settled the litigation claim brought on behalf of Ntokozo Skhosana who suffered cerebral palsy after treatment at Far East Rand Hospital.

On Monday, 4 June, R11.6 million was transferred to the account of the child's legal representative, the department said.

The amount transferred was what the department was ordered by the court to pay.

"The department apologises to the family for the pain that they have suffered. It is our hope that the money will assist in easing the burden of looking after Ntokozo.

"The department is doing everything it can to ensure that other children born and treated in our hospitals are not harmed or injured through the negligence of our staff," it added.

The department has approved the appointment of seven more doctors at the hospital to increase the availability of health professionals and reduce incidents such as the one that resulted in Ntokozo's injury.

The hospital is also required to hold regular meetings to determine how many children were born; find if there were injuries or deaths; establish the causes of injury and put in place preventative measures, the department added.