The Hon MEC Babalo Madikizela visited Butterworth Hospital recently to check progress on the work done at the hospital as the department prepares accommodation for Covid 19 patients in and around the Amathole Region.

The R2.4 million refurbishments and upgrades require an isolation ward, high care unit, stepdown, mortuary and a maternity ward.

The scope of work of the project entails: converting the isolation ward, high-care unit and stepdown into a quarantine section bed, servicing all plumbing in ablutions and provide for disabled access, add a new shower, toilet and basin, painting, partitioning and add new shopfronts to all nurse stations. Attend to the floor area of the mortuary and create a change area with a shower and ablutions, complete with new built-in cupboard and sink. Create an isolation ward with its own ablutions and medical gas points identified by the hospital.

“There were a lot of technical glitches but we have sorted them out and have given the Contractor new time frames and requested him to try work on a 24-hour schedule like other Contractors are doing in other hospitals. Today has emphasised the importance of these visits in order to match the pace and speed up the progress as much as possible as the need is urgent”, said Hon MEC Babalo Madikizela.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nontuthuzelo Jadezweni at the hospital was very pleased with the visit as she says that has eased the stress they had before. “We appreciate the visit, the hospital has to prepare to accommodate Covid 19 patients and we do not have time as we need to be ready as in yesterday. We also appreciate that
the MEC has emphasised to the Contractor that the work needs to be completed soon”, stated Jadezweni.

Written by: Yanga Yiba
Pictures by: Yanga Yiba