Grey's Hospital in Pietermaritzburg is expected to get an overhaul of its 40-year-old heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.
Image: Department of Health
Changes to the decanting strategy to repair air conditioning units at Grey's Hospital in Pietermaritzburg increased the overall project budget.
This includes additional work beyond the mechanical scope due to work done by other consultants. This was one of the challenges the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) faced in restoring the hospital’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
The DPWI updated the KZN Portfolio Committee on Health on the maintenance of Grey's Hospital and Northdale Hospital on Friday.
The DPWI stated that the Department of Health (DoH) has not formally declared the project an emergency, which limits the ability to implement a fast-tracking programme.
The development and approval of the decanting plan by DoH have taken longer than anticipated due to the project's complexity and the hospital's operational requirements.
The DPWI report stated that there are significant risks associated with project scope and implementation, given that the facility is a tertiary hospital performing critical functions that cannot be disrupted during construction.
The DPWI report added that a key risk is the potential lack of sufficient budget within DoH to sustain critical maintenance of the existing theatres, which is essential to ensure their continued safe and optimal operation.
The DPWI stated that it was not directly involved in the DoH's day-to-day maintenance of HVAC.
“As a result, DPWI is not always timeously informed of maintenance failures and may only become aware of such issues through media reports. The air conditioning units have reached their lifespan because they have been in use for 40 years and need an overhaul,” the report stated.
The DPWI stated that the solution to fast-tracking the repairs would be the approval of the decanting plan by the DoH because it is on the critical path for project implementation.
According to the department, the DoH must ensure that sufficient budget is allocated for the ongoing crucial maintenance of existing theatres to sustain operations until the upgrade of all theatres is completed.
The DPWI head of department, Dr Vish Govender, said they were working on a revised decanting plan, and if everything went to plan, the tender could be advertised in September 2026.
The Northdale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg is also overhauling the HVAC, with the process of awarding consultants under way. The site handover is anticipated for April 2027.
IFP MPL Ncamisile Nkwanyana said there were concerns raised about the operating theatres functioning without an air conditioner.
“We need to find ways to fast-track these issues,” she said.
Govender stated that they have introduced risk analysis to accelerate projects.
“We are not going with the cheapest contract price. Rather we are going with those who we have evaluated on all avenues, from financial strength to capacity and everything else. Not only on price. We have now brought in a new way of doing business.”
The KZN DoH stated that the theatres at Grey’s Hospital have, from time to time, experienced technical glitches; a normal occurrence in such environments.
However, a dedicated service provider has always been on standby to resolve issues promptly, and at no point over the past five years have the theatres been shut down.
“The recent challenge was specifically related to aging chillers, which have reached the end of their serviceable lifespan. The contracted service provider was on site and successfully serviced the chillers. All nine theatres are fully operational and in good working order,” the DoH stated.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za