Johannesburg – A new state-of-the-art general stores was unveiled at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) on Thursday.
Health Minister Dr. Joe Phaahla together with Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, and Gift of the Givers’ Dr. Imitiaz Sooliman handed over the general stores to CMJAH).
The newly unveiled 3 500m2 general stores will provide the much-needed capacity and relief on the currently cluttered tunnel stores used by the facility.
It is a project by the Gift of the Givers, who spent R60 million towards the development and conversion of the new stores.
The new general stores comes after the hospital’s Special Dispensary Stores was damaged when a fire broke out on 16 April 2021, causing structural damage to the storage facility and adjacent sections of the CMJAH.
This resulted in the hospital not having adequate storage facilities for supplies.
The newly unveiled stores has more than enough storage, and adequate shelving to assist in organisation and classification of stock, air conditioning, and ablution facilities.
Taking note of the fire incident, the newly unveiled facility is equipped with integrated fire detection and suppression with fire water storage tanks.
It also has various storage sections which include the Special Dispensary Stores, ICT Stores, and Cleaning Stores amongst others.
The receiving, dispatch, and transit offices, and one entrance and one exit to ensure accountability and safekeeping of goods coming in and out of the building.
Dr. Phaahla said that work continues to complete the other areas affected by fire and in need of refurbishment.
Donors, like Gift of the Givers, have lent their hands to ensure high-quality work is done and to make sure our people receive high-quality healthcare services in this hospital.
“The new Charlotte Maxeke stores is a cutting edge, purpose designed and constructed medical facility which should prove to be a precedent to those that will follow,” said the Minister.
“It is out of recognition amongst many of us that this hospital is a critical outpost in the health infrastructure design of South Africa. It cannot be let to fail or demise.”
The new general stores is part of the ongoing charitable work the Gift of the Givers continues to do within the Gauteng public healthcare sector.
Last year, the organisation drilled boreholes at Rahima Moosa and Helen Joseph Hospitals with filtration systems and assisted displaced families and staff at Tambo Memorial Hospital during the Boksburg tanker explosion.
MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko commended the Gift of the Givers for consistently stepping in to assist communities in need both locally and globally.
“The impact of your support extends far beyond the hospital stores themselves,” said MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko.
“It ripples through our entire healthcare system, empowering us to provide better care, conduct critical research and make advancements in medical science.
“Your contributions have become the building block upon which we can build a healthier and more resilient society.”
In addition, Dr. Sooliman said that the CMJAH stores were part of the Gift of the Givers’ ongoing interventions the organisation has undertaken across the country.
These interventions include the building and refurbishment of infrastructure, drilling of boreholes and water connections, and the provision of scrubs and a range of items needed to improve healthcare services.
“We are not just ending with this largest medical stores in South Africa. As part of the ongoing interventions in healthcare facilities across Gauteng, we are busy with plans to take Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital off the grid with solar power,” revealed Dr. Sooliman.
“Plans have been drawn up, donors have been sourced and we are looking at finalising so that the project can be implemented soon.”
