According to Jack Bloom, MPL and DA Gauteng shadow MEC for Health, 13 new private hospitals, with 1 304 beds, have been given the go-ahead to be built in Gauteng.
He said this information is revealed in a written reply by Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu to his questions in the Gauteng Legislature.
“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,” said Bloom.
The largest approved hospitals include the following:
· 200 bed Mediclinic Hospital in Boksburg
· 170 bed Thomas Makhonya Hospital in Eikenhof, 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
· 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.
Bloom said 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.
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 Mahlangu.
