North West Health Department to open a second Renal Unit in Rustenburg

The Department of Health in the North-West led by Honourable MEC Dr Magome Masike  is proud to announce the official opening of a second Renal Unit in the Bojanala District, at Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital (JSTH), in Rustenburg.  

The delivery of renal services has been identified as one of the crucial service priority. This new state of the art unit is anticipated to respond to the dire need for dialysis treatment in the District and to ease the burden from Klerkdorp/Tshepong complex which has been the only state renal unit so far providing this service in the province.

Background

Establishing renal care services including dialysis in Rustenburg has been a priority for a few years.  In March of 2009 the hospital began to re-evaluate the quality of service that JSTH renal patients were receiving, they were scattered all around Gauteng, Mafikeng and fewer in Klerksdorp. This meant, to receive meaningful dialysis each patient had to make the journey from Rustenburg to Gauteng (Pretoria or Johannesburg), Mafikeng or Klerksdorp three times a week; to sit on the dialysis machine for minimum 4 hours and make the journey back home. Because of this rigorous process, and the travelling costs involved, many would default certain days of treatment. Thus not receive meaningful therapy but simultaneously costing the state tremendous amounts of money.

An agreement was reached with a private service provider to provide for the dialysis of these patients. This was undertaken with an intention to establish in-house dialysis by 2010. A process unfolded and the Unit is completed and it’s ready for opening.

Anticipated benefits

The Renal Unit shall enable the people of greater Rustenburg Area and Bojanala District to have this highly specialised service at an economically acceptable standard; while enabling them a much improved quality of life. They shall no longer have to travel far and outside the district or province. The unit has been constructed such that it can accommodate 32 patients on chronic haemolialysis and possibly expand to 40 patients should the need arise. With the unfolding partnership with MEDUNSA this is also a great opportunity for training of nurses in this speciality too.

The Media is therefore invited to attend the official opening ceremony of the new Renal Unit in Bojanala District, at Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital, in Rustenburg which is scheduled to take place as follows: 

Date: 27 February 2012
Time: 14h00
Venue: Job S Tabane Hospital, Rustenburg

NB: Honourable MEC. Dr. Magome Masike will start at Marikana Clinic in the morning  (10h00) where LONMIN will be handing over the refurbished Marikana Clinic to the Department. Both these developments represent yet further steps forward in the delivery of a healthcare system that is capable of meeting patient’s needs. These initiatives will ensure that the North-West Department of health is efficient, responsive, accountable and accessible. 

Enquiries:
Tebogo Lekgethwane
Cell: 082 929 9958