Plans afoot for new Riverside hospital
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday August 1, 2023 06:00
Mompati told The Monitor after the tour that if all goes well the construction of the new health facility will begin around September or October. The new private hospital will be situated at Molapo Estate opposite Tati River Lodge.
Dr Mompati elaborated that they have identified the company that will build the new hospital and are currently negotiating prices. If everything goes as planned, construction of the facility will begin during the suggested months.
He further said that the construction is going to take 18 months so that the hospital can be fully operational in 2025. He said approximately 300 new jobs will be available after the completion of the project. Currently, Riverside Hospital has 272 employees, and some of them may be transferred to the new hospital. However, Dr Mompati cannot provide information on the number of jobs that will be created during the construction phase at this time. The new facility will have 100 beds, an upgrade from the current 53 beds.
Asked if he is going to close the old facility, Dr Mompati said the decision will lie with the Ministry of Health but added he wouldn’t mind keeping both hospitals operational. “Depending on the ministry's wishes, we could convert the current facility into a day hospital where minor health procedures can be performed. We are also intending to turn part of it into a rehabilitation centre,” he added.
Mompati stated that the hospital’s location in the northern gateway to Southern African countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia is advantageous for its expansion. He also mentioned that due to limited resources in the region, they are contemplating establishing a cancer centre to be named the International Cancer Centre of Francistown.
The hope is for the centre to draw in patients from around the world seeking cancer-related services. At present, individuals from various countries and across the nation travel to Gaborone Private Hospital and across the border to South Africa to receive cancer-related care.