Edendale Hospital
Comprehensive Community CareWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Eddie Clinton A history of overcoming challenges and riding the waves of healthcare evolution has been rewarded by a sustained few years of consistent progression for Edendale Hospital, with the transition from 2015 to 2016 every bit as successful as the 60th anniversary year that preceded it.Back then, three years ago, the Hospital was laying out extensive plans for expansion, not only of its facilities and staff, but of the variety of care it could offer within the confines of its ever-improving grounds. The reality has possibly even exceeded those expectations though, and the past 12 months in particular have affirmed the institution’s position as one of KwaZulu-Natal’s leading medical pioneers. 2015 was arguably one of the most fruitful years in Edendale’s recent memory, seeing marked developments across pinpointed areas of significance over the past decade.Vast improvements across maternal, infant and child health formed a large portion of this concerted effort, having established a fully functional human milk bank as well as retaining its Mother Baby Friendly Initiative (MBFI) status.Meanwhile, the Hospital’s ongoing dedication to communicable diseases has been upheld via improved detection and improved management of the various conditions under this banner.“We have increased ARV (antiretroviral therapy) treatment uptake and are currently having 8,458 on ARVs. We have also decanted more than 1,000 to other sites and have about 6,000 on our Central Chronic Medicine Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD) programme,” affirms the Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Zanele Ndwandwe.“We have also improved clinical governance in a number of areas including: ensuring morbidity and…
Edendale Hospital
Making Significant Strides in 2015Writer: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Eddie Clinton Edendale Hospital has made great strides over the course of 2015 as it continues to affirm itself as one of the leading medical pioneers in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.Having achieved a score of 90 percent in the latest National Core Standards assessment, the institution’s rise from humble beginnings has arguably been completed from an outside perspective but, from an internal point of view, the Hospital’s development is far from done.An ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and remaining ahead of, or at least in line with, global medical care processes has culminated in yet another proactive 12 months of capital expenditures, knowledge sharing, treatment enhancements and, most importantly, patient care improvements.Urolology and ophthalmic services have both seen service expansion, while Edendale’s Emergency department has also benefitted from new technologies and machinery to enhance diagnostic aspects. Two further ward upgrades, the installation of 256 network points to enhance tech access around the hospital, and the implementation of additional CCTV cameras to improve security are further evidence of what can be achieved in just one year, and are all part of a general R237 million grant from the Department of Health (DOH).“Capacity increases will occur through the DOH Revite programme while other projects have followed on from this as a result of the hospital needing a revamp because of its ageing infrastructure,” explains Edendale’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Zanele Ndwandwe. “It consists of a fire detection system, electrical reticulation upgrade, new linking bridge, provision of decanting space, an upgrade of…
Edendale Hospital
South African Hospital Celebrates 60 years in Healthcare Edendale has made a name for itself as a regionally significant hospital through its efforts in treating some of the country’s most serious diseases Writer: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Eddie Clinton After turning 60 last year, Edendale Hospital is entering the next significant stage of its evolution as it looks to improve its already comprehensive level of healthcare in South Africa.Established today as a leading regional hospital in the country it has not always been a smooth progression, but thanks to a dedicated workforce and a long-standing commitment to helping the nation’s level of wellbeing, Edendale has grown to now reduce some of the country’s most significant health issues.“When we opened, Edendale only contained a few hospital beds, which was built up to 600 beds until around 30 years ago,” explains the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Zanele Ndwandwe. “Since then, it has gone through a lot of phases to be better aligned to the political landscape of the country, as well as in line with the growing population.”This demand for capacity growth has led to the hospital now comprising more than 900 beds to cater for the widened population that Edendale looks after.While this is a significant regional achievement though, Ndwandwe pinpoints a much more widespread trend, or reversal of it, as Edendale’s main success story in recent years.“Our key achievement has been to successfully reverse the trend of high mother-to-child aids transmission, and our general contribution to making South Africa a much healthier, aids free nation,” she emphasises. “We have…
