By Charmaine Ndlela
Sebokeng Regional Hospital has opened a new Accident and Emergency Unit and refurbished its Male Mental Health Unit after overcrowding and infrastructure pressure exposed gaps in emergency and psychiatric care.
Gauteng Health MEC Faith Mazibuko officially unveiled the upgraded facilities on Monday.
The provincial health department said the project aimed to improve patient flow, emergency response, and mental healthcare services in the district.
It said the refurbishment of the Male Mental Health Unit was prioritised to address longstanding infrastructure challenges, overcrowding and compliance with therapeutic standards under the Mental Health Care Act.
The upgraded unit has been redesigned to include multidisciplinary workspaces, allowing doctors, psychologists, social workers and nursing staff to work together more effectively in managing patient care.
The department said the project was also expected to ease overcrowding in the unit, which continues to receive a high number of mental healthcare users from across the Sedibeng district.
The refurbished facility now includes dedicated spaces for therapeutic recreational programmes and occupational therapy activities to support patient recovery, rehabilitation and improved health outcomes.
The newly constructed Accident and Emergency Unit is expected to improve the hospital’s ability to respond to medical emergencies, reduce pressure on existing services and improve patient flow.
The department said the new unit would help expand the hospital’s capacity to manage trauma and critical cases.
In March, a fire broke out in a psychiatry holding room within the casualty unit, where mental healthcare users were being temporarily accommodated because psychiatric wards were operating at full capacity. More than 30 patients were safely evacuated and no injuries or fatalities were reported.
Also in March, the Health Ombud raised concerns about whether psychiatric care in the province complied with the Mental Health Care Act, which requires mental healthcare users to receive humane, dignified, and the least restrictive care.
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