By Sue Segar
In a massive new public-private “megaproject” for the Western Cape, the Tygerberg Hospital in Parow is to be redeveloped, at an estimated cost of R5 billion, excluding equipment.
The project is part of a comprehensive plan to revitalize health care in the province.
Mark van der Heever, spokesman for the Western Cape Health and Wellness department, Mark van der Heever said: “This megaproject aims to improve Health infrastructure for the people of the Western Cape by replacing the current inefficient and ageing Tygerberg Hospital -which has become increasingly costly to maintain – with two modern, efficient facilities equipped with 21 st century technology:
● A new 596-bed Regional Hospital offering Level 1 and 2 services on a site procured for this purpose at Belhar.
● A new 893 bed tertiary facility on the Tygerberg Hospital estate, thereby maintaining the facility’s close linkages with higher education institutions for training health professionals and technologists.
Level 1 hospitals are district hospitals where there are limited specialist services. Level 2 hospitals are regional hospitals which have at least two specialist services. Level 3 hospitals are academic hospitals which have most specialist services, namely Groote Schuur, Red Cross and Tygerberg Hospitals. A close connection with higher education institutions is required to provide training platforms to medical students as part of their courses and
development.
Tygerberg Hospital, the Western Cape’s largest hospital, was officially opened in 1976, but has, for some time, been lagging behind in terms of capacity and efficiency.
Van der Heever said the feasibility study of the project was approved in November 2022 and is currently in the procurement stage of the public private partnership cycle.
“This stage involves determining the output requirements to formulate the request for proposals which is expected to be advertised in 2024. Should all things go according to plan, the new Central Hospital is expected to be operational by 2031,” he added.
Thorpe Koorts, director of Infrastructure for the Western Cape government has said the project will be one of the biggest public-private-partnerships embarked on in South Africa, and the biggest ever to be done in the Western Cape.
Van der Heever said the decision to redevelop Tygerberg Hospital was made by Provincial Cabinet in 2009. “Due to the size and complexity of the Hospital its redevelopment is classified as a ‘megaproject’ and the support of not only provincial but also national stakeholders is required.
The development is set to spark a revolution of medical innovation in the province.
