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If Limpopo Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba gets her way and Treasury grants the funds for her proposal, a new academic hospital will be built for the province.
Ramathuba has presented a funding proposal that will the construction of Limpopo Central Hospital as well as the establishment of a new medical school in the province.
A training platform
Her spokesperson, Thabiso Teffo, said this would be a major boost for the province as it would provide quality healthcare and draw the interest of the scarce skilled professionals and doctors needed in the area.
“It will improve the quality of health care for the people of Limpopo by providing a training platform for health professionals, which will increase the numbers and skills in the province,” said Teffo, adding that there would be job creation, and new specialists would be attracted.
Ramathuba engaged with the delegation from the World Bank, National Treasury, National Department of Health and Provincial Treasury at Polokwane to propose that funds be made available to build the Limpopo Central Hospital, which would boast 688 beds. It was envisaged that construction would take five years, and if approved would begin in the 2019/20 financial year.
People cannot wait anymore
During the 2017 National Budget speech, former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced that together with Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, former Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande and Minister of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel, planning for the Limpopo Central Hospital and a medical school to be based at the University of Limpopo would go ahead.
However, in April Ramathuba hosted the Presidential Infrastructure Coordination Commission (PICC) and Treasury delegates at Masana Lodge in Polokwane to discuss the implementation of the much awaited academic hospital.
Ramathuba said the people of Limpopo could not wait anymore for these two facilities, adding that the medical school would be the first to be built since 1994. – Health-e News.
Image credit: iStock
