Parklands opens new ward

AFTER an eight year wait, Netcare Parklands Hospital has opened a new medical ward.

Speaking at the opening, general manager, Fuad Salie, said he was very excited and proud that the day had come to open the new ward.

“When I arrived at the hospital five months ago this project had already started and it has been chaotic. The ward is a breath of fresh air and is completely different from the rest of the hospital. It is definitely a standard to measure against and we will build on that at the hospital,” he said.

Fuad said the extra 26 beds would make a big difference to the hospital. He said the ward had a good isolation room, which was state of the art, and he hoped to open two or three more at the hospital in the future.

“We are providing great care to patients and we will continue to build and grow. We now have a better facility so we expect better care. The new ward will separate medical and surgery patients, and is a huge leap forward in terms of care. Going forward, we don't want to be the biggest hospital in the province, but we want to be the best in terms of care,” he said.

Fuad thanked the doctors, staff and community for their patience and for bearing with the hospital during the building process.

Prof Mahomed Omar said the opening of the ward was a landmark event in the history of the hospital.

“When I arrived at Parklands in 1991 the medical department was a fledgling department which grew and became famous for care of diabetic patients and patients with respiratory problems. The opening of this ward with its extra beds is an important event in history. I hope we will go forward and achieve great heights following this momentous occasion,” he said.

The unit manager, Sr Pat Govender, thanked the hospital for making this new place available to the staff.

“We now have a treatment room, our own dining lounge and I have my own office! Wow! We promise to maintain the standards of nursing care in our new ward,” she said.