Health Dept considering takeover of struggling private hospital
The KZN Department of Health is in the process of taking ownership of a private hospital in Mariannhill, west of Durban.
The St Mary's Hospital has been owned by the St Mary’s Catholic Mission Hospital Trust for 20 years.
However, the Trust has been struggling of late to contain costs - with the facility in danger of being liquidated in the High Court.
The 200-bed facility serves a population of approximately 3 million in areas west of Durban.
Provincial Health MEC, Sbongiseni Dhlomo, says there is no need for uncertainty anymore on the part of the community, patients and staff members - as talks are progressing.
Dhlomo says the agreement will be mutually beneficial, as the government needs a hospital in the west area, and the owners need to dispose of it.
"We are indicating that there will be financial transaction advisors from both sides who will then sit and determine what is actually entailed in our taking over of the hospital," he said.