Paarl Hospital's outpatient section set for R50 million restoration after fire

It will cost the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness an estimated R50 million to repair the damage caused by a fire at Paarl Hospital, which is expected to span over a 12-month period.

A month after the blaze, deemed arson following the arrest of psychiatric patient Morné Dampies, Western Cape MEC of Health and Wellness Mireille Wenger confirmed a full restoration project for the Outpatient Department (OPD).

She said portions of the facility that had minor damage are currently receiving restoration, with contractors on-site: “Some parts of the hospital’s Outpatient Department (OPD) sustained severe damage and will take time to repair, while other areas experienced only minor damage.

“A number of contractors are currently on-site to prepare affected parts of the hospital for safe use. This includes minor repairs and painting, debris removal, and the restoration of ceilings, lighting, and sections of the HVAC system that were damaged in the fire.”

Wenger explained that hospital management, nursing, and administrative staff also joined in on Friday, February 6, to assist with cleaning and preparing newly established OPD clinic spaces in what was dubbed Operation Rise and Shine.

“These efforts brought order and function back to fire-damaged OPD areas earmarked for reuse and helped to organise the post-fire equipment storage hub that was established after the fire. This left clinical staff to concentrate fully on patient care, but also showed teamwork and solidarity with staff members affected by the fire.”

Wenger detailed that the full restoration of the OPD is a long-term project.

“The cost to repair the damage is estimated at R50 million, and it is expected that it will take 12 months to repair the OPD,” she said.

“A 20-point improvement plan has been compiled by the hospital and aims to improve and streamline current OPD services while the rebuild is underway, which will ensure the continuity of services.”

Wenger explained that all clinical outpatient services have resumed, and outpatients are being seen in the ground floor waiting area at the main entrance and then escorted by porters to the various temporary clinical areas (this includes): Orthopaedics, Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT), Internal Medicine, Dermatology, Surgery, Stoma Clinic, Urology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, and Ophthalmology.

She added that the only services that are not operational at the moment are Audiology and the Department of Home Affairs (birth registrations). These services are expected to resume within the next week. The kiosk/cafeteria reopened earlier this week.

“Paarl Hospital’s teams have worked tirelessly to restore services and ensure that patients continue to receive the care they need, even in the aftermath of this devastating fire,"she said.

"I want to sincerely thank every staff member, contractor, partner, and community supporter who has stepped forward to help us rebuild and recover."

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has since confirmed that accused, Morné Dampies is a psychiatric patient.

Eric Ntabazalila, Regional Communications for the NPA, explained that via Dampies' family, it was established that he was, in fact, a patient at the hospital in the psychiatric ward and whether he would require an evaluation. He said Dampies, who is making appearances at the Paarl Magistrates Court, is charged with arson linked to the fire.

The State alleges that Dampies is linked to the crime by video footage and eyewitnesses. The case was postponed to verify whether Dampies needs to be referred for a mental evaluation.

Drakenstein Municipality’s Fire and Rescue Services responded to the fire on January 27.

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