Pretoria hospitals prioritised for winter infrastructural upgrades
The upgrades come after facilities reported experiencing no hot water in recent weeks.
The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has prioritised upgrading winter-related equipment throughout its facilities to accommodate heavy usage at this time.
Steve Biko Academic, Pretoria West, and Kalafong Provincial Tertiary hospitals were among the local facilities which received these upgrades.
The department said it has prioritised infrastructure such as boilers, chillers, heat pumps and air conditioners, all of which age and come under pressure during winter.
Last month, several facilities reported breakdowns in their boiler systems, resulting in an inconsistent supply of hot water.
The department has since said its contractors are on standby to respond to emergencies and were able to restore the systems of all affected facilities.
“The reality we are facing is that critical equipment such as boilers, chillers, heat pumps, and air conditioners is old and has not been serviced appropriately for a long time. This is one of the reasons we have now capacitated the departmental infrastructure unit so that it can implement the maintenance programme in-house,” said Health and Wellness MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko.
Nkomo-Ralehoko added that the department has set aside R100-million in the current financial year to recapitalise critical equipment across facilities.
Pretoria West Hospital experienced leaking pipes, while Kalafong and Steve Biko hospitals were among the facilities reporting issues with their calorifiers (water tankers that heat and store water for later use), which have since been resolved.
The department assured residents that its recapitalisation programme is currently underway and is instrumental in reducing further breakdowns, and thanked them for their patience.
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