Bara receives new psychiatric ward
It will provide needed relief to the hospital as it continues to provide services to the growing number of people presenting with mental health disorders in Soweto and surrounding areas.
The MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko recently opened a new 21 bed Psychiatric Admission Ward at Bara Hospital.
The hospital has been short of a psychiatric admission ward for some time, leading to overcrowding at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency section as mental healthcare patients waiting for admission were accommodated in that section.
An unused building was identified for the construction of a new ward in 2020 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, however funding had to first be source to turn the structure into an appropriate ward.
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In partnership with the Islamic Relief Fund which invested R3 682 500 to refurbish an old building, the hospital now boasts a Psychiatric Administration Ward with an additional bed capacity.
It will provide needed relief to the hospital as it continues to provide services to the growing number of people presenting with mental health disorders in Soweto and surrounding areas.
MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko expressed her gratitude to the Islamic Relief Fund for their invaluable contribution to the project.
She emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts in improving mental healthcare and reaffirmed the department’s commitment to further developing mental health facilities in the province.
“The ward has been thoughtfully designed to cater specifically to the needs of psychiatric patients, with a focus on privacy, comfort, and therapeutic support.
“It is equipped with modern amenities, including specialised treatment rooms and common areas for group activities and counselling sessions.
“This is a testament to the commitment of the Gauteng Department of Health to address the pressing needs of individuals grappling with mental health disorders by improving mental healthcare facilities in the province,” MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
Meanwhile, a number of public hospitals in Gauteng have already been refurbished while others are undergoing refurbishment to ensure an addition of 206 acute mental health beds by the end of the 2023/24 financial year.
These includes Bertha Gxowa, South Rand, Tshwane District, Tembisa, Edenvale and Dr George Mukhari. The additional bed capacity will increase the number of acute health beds in the province to 2102.
