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Watch: Charlotte Maxeke hospital gets new lease of life with R60m upgrades

From tragedy to triumph: Charlotte Maxeke now boasts the largest medical storage facility in South Africa.

An event at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg, 18 May 2023 to handover the new general stores that were built by Gift of the Givers costing R60 000 000 after the recent fire within the hospital destroyed their previous smaller stores . Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

An event at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg on 18 May 2023 to hand over the new general stores that were built by Gift of the Givers costing R60 million after the recent fire within the hospital destroyed their previous smaller stores. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

South Africa’s health sector was given a much-needed boost as a state-of-the-art storage facility was unveiled at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) today.

Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, attended the unveiling ceremony, along with MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko.

Charlotte Maxeke hospital upgrades

The upgrades were made possible thanks to a collaboration with Gift of the Givers. Dr Imtiaz Sooliman on Thursday opened the doors of the sprawling 3,500 m² general storage facility.

One of the many specialised store rooms during an event at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg, 18 May 2023 to handover the new general stores that were built by Gift of the Givers costing R60 000 000 after the recent fire within the hospital destroyed their previous smaller stores . Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — _{One of the many specialised store rooms at the Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen}

Given the fire incident in April 2021, it was reassuring to see the facility is fitted with integrated fire detection and suppression systems, including fire water storage tanks.

Gift of the Givers donation

Gift of the Givers poured R60 million into the construction project, paving the way for the construction of much-needed infrastructure.

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The foyer area of the new general stores during an event at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg, 18 May 2023 to handover the new general stores that were built by Gift of the Givers costing R60 000 000 after the recent fire within the hospital destroyed their previous smaller stores . Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — _{The foyer area of the new general stores at Charlotte Maxeke hospital. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen}

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The new storage facility is a significant upgrade on the previously cluttered tunnel stores used by the hospital.

The upgrades include ample storage space, proper shelving for organised stock keeping, as well as air conditioning and modern ablution facilities.

Charlotte Maxeke fire tragedy

A fire in April 2021 severely damaged the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital’s store section.

Since the academic hospital is one of South Africa’s most crucial health facilities, the event represented a major setback.

Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman during an event at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg, 18 May 2023 to handover the new general stores that were built by Gift of the Givers costing R60 000 000 after the recent fire within the hospital destroyed their previous smaller stores . Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — _{Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman at the unveiling of Charlotte Maxeke hospital new storage facility. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen}

Nevertheless, Gift of the Givers funded private ambulances to move patients from the pediatric ICU to nearby hospitals immediately after the blaze.

Construction challenges

As reported by Construction Safety, architects and engineers from Gift of the Givers focused on a disused nurses’ dining room on the premises for this project.

The plans, which prioritised fire safety protocols, were approved by Gauteng Health, National Department of Health, Public Works, CMJAH Management, and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.

One of the many specialised store rooms seen during an event at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg, 18 May 2023 to handover the new general stores that were built by Gift of the Givers costing R60 000 000 after the recent fire within the hospital destroyed their previous smaller stores . Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — _{One of the many specialised store rooms seen during the unveiling the new upgrades at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg on 18 May 2023. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen}

Once the red tape was out of the way, construction began, resulting in a 3 000 square meter masterpiece.

It’s currently the largest medical storage facility in South Africa.

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Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman during an event at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg, 18 May 2023 to handover the new general stores that were built by Gift of the Givers costing R60 000 000 after the recent fire within the hospital destroyed their previous smaller stores . Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen — _{Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johannesburg on 18 May 2023 to handover the new general stores. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen}

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Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital Fire Gauteng Gift of the Givers Johannesburg CBD (Joburg)

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