Serving three metros in Gauteng, mainly Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and Tshwane, Tembisa Hospital is constantly seeing an increased demand for health services. The new 36 bedded ABT is already relieving pressure at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit. 

Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said that there are plans to extend the number of beds at the hospital in the 2023/24 financial year to improve capacity. Currently the facility is an 840 approved bedded hospital. 

“We are also planning to build a 300 bedded mother and child unit at the facility. There are also long-term plans to build another health facility to replace the old Kempton Park Hospital which will alleviate the current pressure felt by Tembisa Hospital,” explained MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko. 

Tembisa Hospital’s catchment population include the mushrooming of informal settlements around Ivory Park and Diepsloot. The current pressure is also due to inter-provincial relocation, immigration and not having any referring facility in the referral pathway of the hospital. 

In addition, MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko said that the hospital has refurbished and repurposed a section of the facility, which is now used as an overflow area for mental health care users and patients presenting with acute psychosis. 

“As part of efforts to improve care for mental healthcare users, we have ensured the addition of 10 beds to the hospital’s psychiatric ward and eight 

(8) more beds have been put in the medical wards,” said the MEC. 

Other long-term plans that will also alleviate overcrowding pressure on Tembisa Hospital include the building of a new hospital in Diepsloot. This was announced by Premier Panyaza Lesufi during his 2023 State of the Province Address, who said that the provincial government is fast-tracking the application with National Treasury to give us our health infrastructure budget in advance. 

Ends/ 

Issued by the Gauteng Department of Health