Genevieve Serra|Published1 hour agoPaarl Hospital’s outpatient section set for R50 million restoration after fire

Drakenstein Municipality’s Fire and Rescue Services responded to the fire on January 27. 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.” “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.” Patients were moved to safety after a fire broke out at Paarl Hospital in January. 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.