13 New private hospitals proposed for Gauteng
The increase in private hospital beds is good news as greater competition should bring down prices
THIRTEEN new private hospitals with 1 304 beds have been given the go-ahead to be built in Gauteng.
This information was revealed in a written reply by Gauteng Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, to questions asked by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng shadow MEC for health, in the Gauteng Legislature.
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“Private hospitals require a permit from the Gauteng Health Department, which has in previous years refused some major hospital applications, with preference given to township areas,” Bloom said in a statement issued on Thursday.
The largest approved hospitals include a 200 bed Mediclinic Hospital in Boksburg; 170 bed Thomas Makhonya Hospital in Eikenhof in the south of Johannesburg; 170 bed Longlake Hospital in Longmeadow, Edenvale; 170 bed Clinix Protea Glen in Soweto; 130 bed Tumisang Private Hospital in Hartebeespoort; 100 bed Phelang Maletsatsi Private Hospital in Mamelodi; 100 bed Netcare Pinehaven Hospital in Krugersdorp; and 100 bed Head and Neck Specialised Hospital in Lynnwood, Pretoria.
A number of day clinics have also been approved, including in Waterfall, Groenkloof, Benoni, Midrand, Roodepoort, Lynnwood, Fourways and Vereeniging.
“The increase in private hospital beds is good news as greater competition should bring down prices. Day clinics will bring down the cost of operations as they do not have the expense of keeping patients overnight,” Bloom said.
“The new beds will bring the total number of private hospital beds to more than 16 000 and any spare capacity could be used to assist public patients as recently mooted by Health MEC Mahlangu.:
