Pretoria – Madiba’s wish of building a specialised hospital for children has taken a leap forward with construction on the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Parktown, Johannesburg, already underway.
The Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital Trust (NMCHT) on Monday announced that the bulk earthworks and piling on site were well advanced and had paved the way for construction to begin.
The hospital, expected to be a world class, highly advanced specialised children’s hospital that will shape the lives of the children of Africa, is targeted to be completed by early 2016.
The Trust also announced that it had selected Group Five as the contractor to undertake the construction of the hospital. The appointment follows submissions by various contractors.
“This represents a key milestone in our efforts to make Nelson Mandela’s last wish of building a children’s hospital in South Africa a reality.
“We still have a long way to go, but we are confident that with the support of those who share this dream, we will be able to build and present to the public a fitting last legacy of this international icon,” said Nana Magomola, Deputy Chairperson of the NMCHT.
The 200-bed specialised paediatric hospital will include Centres of Excellence in the fields of haematology/oncology, pulmonology, cardiology/cardiothoracic surgery, neurosciences, craniofacial, nephrology and general paediatric surgery.
The hospital will be located adjacent to the Wits University Medical School in close proximity to other medical facilities, and will employ 150 doctors and 451 paediatric nursing professionals, as well as allied services.
There only four specialised children’s hospitals in Africa currently.
Of the R1 billion needed to build and equip the hospital, as well as train medical professionals to work in it, half has been raised.
To donate towards the building of the hospital, SMS “GIFT” to 40301. SMS’s cost R20; terms and conditions and administrative costs apply. – SAnews.gov.za
