The North West Department of Health MEC Dr Magome Masike has officially opened Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital and unveiled a memorial stone in honour of the late freedom fighter and struggle icon Kesimolotse Taolo Joseph Morolong who was widely involved in the anti-apartheid campaigns and the defiance campaign of 1952 along with Ruth First.
The construction of Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital started on the 12thOctober 2015 and was completed on the 9th December 2009. The occupation date was on the 1st June 2011 ushering a new era of quality health care services to the people of Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District. The total expenditure for construction of this state of the art facility amounts to R553, 478, 354.36.
Speaking during the official opening, MEC Dr Magome Masike said that the delay in opening the hospital was mainly because the Department wanted to make sure all roads leading to the hospital are tarred and good condition. “I wanted to make sure that our ambulances are not damaged by the bad roads leading to this hospital that we had before.
Now we are happy because we have the best hospital for the people of Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District. We also have good roads leading to this hospital.
This allows us to render best quality health services for our people which they deserve”, said ,MEC Dr Masike.
The new Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital is a replacement to the old Vryburg Hospital which was opened in 1947. It had 67 beds providing a level 1 care to the Naledi Sub-district. Seeing that the old hospital was not coping with the demands of hospital services a business plan was approved for construction of a new 120 bed level 2 hospital to service Dr RSM District.
This state of the art facility boosts about a range of much needed hospital services including inpatient, outpatient and accident and emergency units. There is also a digital radiography unit with a CT Scan and imaging facility. The Rehabilitation Unit, Theatre and 6 bed High Care Unit, On-site laboratory and Blood Blank, Forensic Mortuary, Service are including stores, Laundry, Kitchen and Maintenance are also key additions to this massive structure.
“I am pleased today because we are giving you a facility which defines us as people who matter. These are kind of services that freedom fighters like the late Joe Morolong fought for. During the apartheid era, only white were good enough to utilise facilities like this one. Blacks did not benefit from services like these”, said MEC Masike
In fighting the challenge of shortage of health professionals, the new hospital comes with a residential area made of 8 three bed room houses, 10 two bed room houses, 46 bachelor flats, a club house and tennis court. “We are making sure that our facilities have quality residential areas to attract health professionals and retain those that we have.
Having them stay within our facilities also make it easy for them to attend to their daily responsibilities and ensure that we achieve our mandate of providing quality health care for our people”, said MEC Masike.
