GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The plaque unveiling and ribbon cutting ceremony of Mediclinic George on Saturday afternoon, 20 June, was a major occasion for the region and healthcare sector in the Western Cape.
Among the VIPs were Premier Alan Winde, Mediclinic Group founder Dr Edwin Hertzog, Group CEO Dr Ronnie van der Merwe and George mayoral couple, Browen and Lucille Johnson.
Hospital Manager Celesté Louw, with Winde and Remgro CEO Jannie Durand, did the honours of unveiling the plaque during the memorable afternoon. Guests were entertained under a grand marquee tent with a witty master of ceremonies, Dr Darren Green.
Winde, the guest speaker, praised Mediclinic for its R1b investment to build the state-of-the-art facility and said it not only strengthens high-quality healthcare capacity locally, but helps to position George and the Garden Route as places where people want to live and invest. The development will ultimately contribute to economic growth and job creation. “So, Mediclinic, thank you very much, because you make it easier for us to grow the economy and to sell this region.”
He said the 222-bed hospital puts George on a bed-to-population ratio that would be acceptable to the World Health Organisation and to the countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
He called for a similar collaboration between the public and private health sectors that existed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Practical partnerships could improve healthcare delivery amidst the growing demand for healthcare services in the province due to the rapid influx of people.
Hospital Manager Celesté Louw (left) taking some of the VIPs on a tour of the hospital. From the left are Ronnelle and Dr Gerrit de Villiers (Mediclinic COO), Dr Edwin Hertzog (Mediclinic founder and non-executive chairman) and Rinette van Wyk (architectural design team manager at Mediclinic).
During his speech, Van der Merwe said Mediclinic’s decision to invest was based on a strong belief in the future growth of George and the wider Southern Cape. The facility was deliberately designed with room for future expansion as the region continues to grow. “We have absolutely no doubt that this is going to be a huge success and soon we will have to motivate to the government of the Western Cape for more beds, so we can build more.”
The construction of the new hospital cost R840m and medical equipment cost R160m. The hospital is already reaching the revenue levels anticipated at this stage of its rollout.
It was a grand afternoon.
Van der Merwe said, although the Group is optimistic about private healthcare in the country, it is important for the industry to help address access for people who are employed but do not belong to medical schemes. He also called for increased collaboration between the private and public sectors to improve healthcare for all citizens.
Amenities offered
The new hospital is an amalgamation of the old Mediclinic George and Mediclinic Geneva and the challenging move took place in phases during April.
The design, executed under the leadership of Mediclinic's architectural design team manager, Linette van Wyk, is aimed at improving flow and efficiency for a better experience for staff, patients, families and doctors.
Cardiology and cardiothoracic services are also now available in George for the first time. Among the amenities offered by the main hospital are 40 doctor’s rooms, 10 operating theatres and two ICUs with 12 beds in total, while the day clinic has 20 beds, three theatres and a procedure room.
Cutting the ribbon. From left: Braam Joubert (Mediclinic Southern Africa CEO), Dr Ronnie van der Merwe (Mediclinic Group CEO), Hendrica Ngoepe (nursing executive manager), Browen Johnson (George mayor), Celesté Louw (Mediclinic George manager), Premier Alan Winde, Jannie Durand (Remgro CEO), Dr Edwin Hertzog (Mediclinic founder) and Dr Gerrit de Villiers (Mediclinic COO).
