Five-star wing for 1 Mil
2002-02-12 21:49
Pretoria - The defence force has plans to upgrade an existing wing at 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria to "five-star" status - exclusively for treating VIPs.
The proposed upgrade, which could cost in excess of R6 million, will reportedly have luxury bedrooms, a special kitchen, conference facilities and facilities for bodyguards.
The wing is likely to be allocated personnel depending on VIP requirements.
Hospital personnel are furious, as services at the hospital are already stretched to capacity due to logistical and budgetary constraints.
Old Military Hospital, which forms part of 1 Military, is currently being evacuated because of sink holes. The result of this is that 1 Military is required to absorb this hospital's services.
This, in turn, has a ripple effect on patients, who believe that they will have to wait even longer for treatment and medication. At present patients are often required to return for a second day to collect their prescribed medicine.
Clinics in the proposed wing will have to be accommodated elsewhere.
Former presidents treated without any hassles
Personnel maintain that former presidents PW Botha, FW de Klerk and Nelson Mandela were all treated and operated on at the ordinary military hospital without any problems. In such cases a section of the ward was blocked off for the duration of treatment and then reopened.
They claim it is incomprehensible that a hospital facing financial constraints should acquire luxury facilities likely to be used only occasionally.
Sam Mkhwanazi, spokesperson for Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, said that as the wing was still in its planning stages, the ministry could not comment.
The final submission, however, has to be seen by defence force chief, General Siphiwe Nyanda and all the necessary channels before final approval.
The new wing appears to have been planned not only for local VIPs, but also for visiting dignitaries from abroad.
Mkhwanazi maintains it is important for South Africa to consider its greater role in the region. The UN sends patients from Africa to 1 Military for certain operations rather than taking them to Europe.