LIMPOPO MIRROR
6 23 October 2015 By Kaizer Nengovhela
By Isabel Venter
Zoutpansberg Private Hospital celebrates new ward “Disclose your HIV status to The Zoutpansberg Private Hospital’s passed their final inspections. ber 2001, and from there the hospital grew your relatives,” says MEC heart is still beating strongly for its The first ground for the project was … some of you might remember the old community. Last Wednesday (14th) the hospital, based in Louis Trichardt, welcomed the public into their newly built day ward. It was a happy day for the directors and staff of the hospital. Not only did they finish days ahead of schedule, but they also
turned during February this year. Since then, the hospital faced many challenges to meet the various state departments’ legal requirements and receive their operating licence. In addition, they had to endure water and electricity interruptions and continuously had to direct visitors not to walk across the building site. The new ward will add an additional 10 beds to the hospital’s existing 22 beds. This is in line with the hospital’s motto: “We dare to care.” One of the hospital’s directors, Dr Anton Stroebel, said after the ceremony that the new wing was part of the hospital’s ongoing vision to expand. “We want to continue growing and serving our community,” Stroebel explained. The development of the hospital is being done in small steps in a sustainable manner. “This venture started in 1998 when the founding members of the hospital had a dream and a vision to build a high-quality facility for Louis Trichardt to render private health-care services. This dream became a reality when the first patient was admitted to the hospital in Novem-
house that first stood here on the corner. If you look at what is here before you today, you can’t help but be inspired by the achievement of the founding members and the board of directors,” said Mr George Malan of the Veritas Accounting firm when he toasted the directors and staff of the hospital during the ceremony. Future plans include the addition of a further 50 beds and additional theatres. But before that can happen, the hospital is first going to complete phase two of the current expansion. This will include new admin offices, as well as consulting rooms for visiting specialists and the expansion of the current theatres. The new wing is located left of the hospital’s previous main entrance in Joubert Street (the new entrance is lower down in the paved parking lot). Before construction started, the area used to house the George Malan from the accounting hospital’s administrative offices. firm Veritas in Polokwane was Some of these offices will move responsible for the opening ceremony into the new wing. Entering the new toast, which celebrated the new wing (via the main entrance), visitors ward of the Zoutpansberg Private will first walk through the reception Hospital. “It is a facility that the whole and office area, directly to their left. community can be proud of,” he said. Beyond this area, visitors will find the corridor with the wards on the left side. The décor is visibly more modern than that of the old wing, but with the light colour palette, the new wing gives off a calm vibe. If all goes according to plan, the first overflow patients will be put up in the new wing this coming Thursday (today). “I cannot wait to start treating patients here,” said Mrs Ina Muller, the nursing manager, during the ribbon-cutCutting the ribbon of the Zoutpansberg Private Hospital’s new ward are, from left to right, Drs ting ceremony. Patrick Tigere (shareholder) and Anton Stroebel (director), Mr Martin Kennealy (director) and Drs Emil Gaigher (director) and Fred Badenhorst (director).
“Disclose your HIV status to your to refrain from these tendencies,” said relatives,” the MEC for Health, Dr Ramathuba. Phophi Ramathuba, advised local When addressing the community, residents during a TB and Aids Vhavenda King Toni Mphephu RamAwareness Campaign held at Dzata abulana indicated that he was aware on Saturday. that the Aids epidemic was likely to Ramathuba encouraged people impact on many areas of the public who are not infected to remain HIV service, including service delivery negative. “We also try to promote improvement and poverty alleviation. voluntary testing, so that the villag- He encouraged community members ers can live responsibly,” she said to be active in the fight against the and suggested that those who are pandemic. infected should join support groups. “We need teachers who can reShe also spoke out about the stigma spond to the needs of our country,” often attached to people living with he said. HIV/Aids and said that residents An HIV/Aids ambassador, Elisa must disclose their status to friends (not her real name), said it was difand family members, so as to get the ficult for her to disclose her status necessary support. because she feared rejection from “When we received the invitation, the local community members. “My we were also told that a number of relatives immediately ran away from residents are dying at the villages me when they learnt that I was HIV and nobody knows the cause of their positive. However, the support I am death. We are of the view that resi- (now) getting from my close family dents of Vhembe district will develop members is overwhelming. I believe a change of heart and live positively in myself and I know I still have a lot and responsibly,” she said. to offer to my community. I would Ramathuba was especially con- like to discourage those who think cerned about the effects HIV and that being HIV positive is a death AIDS have on young people in the warrant. HIV is like any other discommunity. ease,” she said. “We must change the public’s Elisa stressed that she was a comattitude towards schools and we plete human being. “It is only my flesh that has been contaminated with must change our image the virus,” she said. of schools and what they do. We must enable teachers to create a learning environment that is orientated towards social and self-empowerment.” Ramathuba said a phenomenon which was emerging in the communities was that older men who were wealthier and financially sound were having sexual affairs with younger women. “This disturbing phenomenon is posing a very serious threat for both the sugar daddies and the younger women. The statistics of older men who are being infected with HIV/Aids are growing on a daily basis. In the process, the innocent spouses of the sugar daddies also become victims. I plead with all mid- MEC for Health Dr Phophi Ramathuba dle-aged and older men addresses the community.
Come and view the all new Kia Picanto at Cnr Rissik & Grobler Street, Makhado
Kia Makhado is moving to new premises alongside the N1 in the near future
KIA MAKHADO The power to surprise
TM
Photographed during the HIV/Aids campaign are, from left to right, Thovhele Vho-Nndweleni Mashamba, Thovhele Vho-Vele Kutama and King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana.