Cape Town – The SA Medical and Education (Same) Foundation yesterday handed over lifesaving medical equipment worth R2.3 million to the Khayelitsha District Hospital.
Since 2017, Same has been partnering with the hospital and securing funds needed to replace lifesaving equipment, resources, and assisting the medical staff to continue offering the best quality medical treatment to their patients.
The Khayelitsha District serves one of the biggest and poorest informal settlements in the country. The hospital is a 300-bed government district hospital. With the surrounding communities densely populated, the hospital sees a high flow of patients through its doors daily.
This has caused problems like insufficient medical equipment, and wards running at over-capacity.
The hospital’s health-care services cover HIV, TB, mental health, maternity, neo-natal care, paediatrics and trauma.
Same yesterday donated new equipment, including 65 mental health patient beds, a Hamilton C1 ventilator, an ultrasound DC40 with three probes, a MAC 2000 machine, a hyfrecator machine, 16 new patient trolleys with mattresses, five HB meters, and 10 mental health patient chairs.
Same chief executive Trevor Pols said the foundation was proud of the partnership with the hospital.
“We are handing over R2.3million worth of medical equipment which will be followed by another R1.2m worth of equipment at the end of this year.
"Khayelitsha hospital serves one of the largest informal settlements in South Africa and it’s for that reason that the Same Foundation wants to partner with the hospital to impact the most lives possible,” Pols said.
Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said this was one of the busiest hospitals in the province and specifically the metro.
“We have faced many challenges, more specifically around the emergency care and mental health ward, where some patients ended up having no beds and had to sleep on the floor.
“I am aware of the Same Foundation’s contributions in the health-care sector and really appreciate all the contributions. Without public-private partnerships and donations from various corporates, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do,” Mbombo said.