Big plans for private hospital following a new partnership

Date: 02 October 2020 By: 

The Zoutpansberg Private Hospital in Louis Trichardt has been a beacon of hope since its inception some 20 years ago and will continue to be one, judging by significant recent developments.

From its humble beginnings in 2001, the hospital expanded gradually and organically, always considering the healthcare needs of the community it serves. In 2015, the hospital opened the new 10-bed day ward and over the recent past, expanded its services to include urology, general surgery and orthopaedic surgery, to name but a few.

The founders of the hospital - doctors and healthcare professionals themselves - have always aligned the hospital to serve the needs of the community. Historically, this hospital is the go-to destination for parents welcoming their newborns to the world. The hospital’s mother-and-child services have benefitted numerous parents and families. During recent years, the specialised service offerings were gradually expanded, offering services that were not available previously, thereby removing the need for residents to travel between 100km and 400km to see a specialist or have an operation.

To serve the community needs more holistically, the directors of the Zoutpansberg Private Hospital two years ago agreed to expand the services offerings at the hospital to address residents’ increased healthcare needs.  As part of this commitment, the founders further recognised the importance of ensuring that the hospital is a genuinely community-centred hospital, representative and inclusive,  a facility run by the people, for the people.

To achieve the above objectives, the hospital concluded a transaction with Summit Private Equity, a black-owned and -managed private equity firm that focuses on healthcare investments. The partnership enables the hospital to invite a broader base of doctors and other colleagues to partner with it and ensures a broader representation in the community that it serves.

As a direct result of this partnership, the hospital will see a further major expansion, planned to be completed over two phases, to ensure that there is no interruption in services during the development. Phase 1 will be the construction of a brand new +/- 90-bed hospital on the recently acquired land adjacent to the existing facility. In addition to the increased bed capacity, the new hospital will include a brand-new theatre complex comprising three new theatres and a dedicated maternity theatre. High-care and intensive-care beds are to be added for maternity, paediatrics and adult care. Of particular importance will be the expansion of the accident and emergency department. “The need for accident and emergency services has grown over the years, and it is Zoutpansberg Private Hospital’s desire to deliver a more directed service in this regard,” said Mr Ngange Nongogo of Summit Private Equity.

Phase 2 will start with the moving of the current services and patients to the “new” hospital. At that stage, the existing hospital will be converted to include increased consulting suites for specialists and various outpatient and primary-care services, as informed by the needs of the community. “The expansion will further benefit the community through the creation of nursing, non-nursing and support-services jobs. The indirect benefit of the hospital is anticipated to be impactful on the economic stimulation of the town and the district of Vhembe,” added Nongogo.

The Zoutpansberg Private Hospital received permission for the expansion early in 2020 from the Limpopo Department of Health. “Pending council approvals and all other necessary regulatory approvals, construction is planned to commence early next year and the opening of the new facility mid-2022. The hospital has thus far received professional and speedy support and assistance from the Makhado Local Municipality related to the expansion project. The endorsement of the project by the community partners and healthcare colleagues is overwhelming and confirmation that the hospital is not just needed but indeed supported,” said Nongogo.

In the meantime, Hospital Manager Ms Anneke Stroebel reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to continuing to provide quality hospital services to the community. “It is our passion,” she said. “The founders, new shareholders, directors and staff are passionately excited about this project. We invite all healthcare colleagues and specialists to contact us at [email protected] for more information on this new and exciting chapter in our growth!” she added.

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