Enq : Dr K.M Htwe

Tel : 012 318 6502

Fax : 012 318 6791

E-mail :

To:

SA Medical & Education Foundation

Attention: Diane Pols

RE: TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE FOR EXTENSION OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT: KALAFONG HOSPITAL

Background: Kalafong hospital was established in 1972 to serve the black population under the apartheid government. It was also established as a teaching hospital for the University of Pretoria. It had about 1150 beds including the Accident and Emergency department. After 1994, its referral network was changed and now has to accept all the population in the west and south west of Tshwane as well as patients from Mpumalanga. Its bed capacity was also reduced to current approved beds of 852 according to service improvement plan. The status of Kalafong hospital was upgraded to that of tertiary level hospital in 2012. Although it is a tertiary hospital, all the level 1 patients from Atteridgeville and surrounds are accommodated in Kalafong as there are no 24 hour primary care services in the area.

The Kalafong hospital A&E (Accident & Emergency) department has a total of 13 consulting rooms and 4 resuscitation beds and a small triage area that was recently extended.

The A&E department handles about 133 patients per day on average and it is always busy after hours and week-ends as there are no 24 hour primary care services in the area.

The current facility is very small to handle such a work load and also blocked with the patients who are admitted and waiting for beds to be available in the wards.

Discussion: The current A&E department is too small to handle the patient load. The patient load has increased from about 3000 patient per month in 2003 to current level of about 4000 per month.

It also does not meet the required infection control, occupational health and safety standards.

The status of hospital has been upgraded to tertiary level.

The emergency medicine is also recognized by the HPCSA as a specialty.

Therefore the facility needs to be extended to meet the increased service need, training need and standards. There was a plan drafted for extension of the facility around 2008 in preparation for 2010 world cup and it has not materialized. That plan included the inclusion of an OPD theatre and ward2B.

The clinicians and nursing staffs of A&E department indicated that the following facilities are required to meet the requirement.

·  16 patient cubicles ( 1 for gynaecology)

·  Paediatrics: 3 beds + 1 baby incubator.

·  Procedure area

·  Holding area ( for observation, rehydration, etc)

·  Bereavement area

·  Decontamination area

·  Suturing/dressing area

·  Triage + primary observation

·  Resuscitation area

·  Pharmacy

·  Instruments and stationary room

·  Store and disaster rooms

·  Nurse and doctors work stations

·  Tea rooms and offices

·  Ablution facilities for patients and staff

As the previously drafted plan for 2010 world cup still meets the requirements of the clinical needs, it was suggested that the 2010 plan should be used for extension of A&E department. It was also suggested that the furniture, equipment, computers and IT connections be included in the plan and that the staffing needs also be addressed. It can be addressed separately by hospital management.

Recommendation: Kalafong hospital and the staff of the A&E department would like to request the S.A. Medical & Education Foundation to sponsor the project for the extension of the A&E department to meet the requirements of service and training needs together with equipment.

Your assistance to improve the services to the community is appreciated.

Kind regards,

______

Mr. M Mothoagae

CEO

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